Joel Embiid remains out due to illness

Tim Bontemps: Montrezl Harrell will start in place of Joel Embiid tonight for the 76ers, who remains out for a third straight game with an illness. De’Anthony Melton will start in place of James Harden, as expected. Source: Twitter @TimBontemps …

Tim Bontemps: Montrezl Harrell will start in place of Joel Embiid tonight for the 76ers, who remains out for a third straight game with an illness. De’Anthony Melton will start in place of James Harden, as expected.

Source: Twitter @TimBontemps

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Interesting little Friday night here, with Embiid and Harden both out and Montrezl Harrell and De’Anthony Melton starting in their places alongside Maxey, Harris and Tucker. Danuel House Jr. (illness) is also out. – 6:58 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
With Joel Embiid out, the #Sixers will have Matisse Thybulle available – 6:47 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Montrezl Harrell will start in place of Joel Embiid tonight for the 76ers, who remains out for a third straight game with an illness.
De’Anthony Melton will start in place of James Harden, as expected. – 6:46 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Joel Embiid is out for the Sixers. …Already no Harden.
The Knicks can steal one in Philly. – 6:46 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Joel Embiid is out for tonight’s game. Starting lineup is Maxey, Melton, Harris, Tucker and Harrell. – 6:46 PM
Steve Popper @StevePopper
No Harden for a month — and no Embiid tonight for the Sixers. – 6:45 PM
Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Joel Embiid is out tonight.
Maxey, Melton, Harris, Tucker, Harrell starting vs. Knicks. – 6:45 PM
Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Joel Embiid is out tonight #Sixers6:45 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Joel Embiid is out tonight against the Knicks. Came out for a brief pregame workout, but didn’t look all that good. – 6:45 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
No Embiid tonight – 6:45 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Joel Embiid is out tonight. – 6:45 PM
Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Joel Embiid is out here pregame. He’s got his right shoulder taped up. pic.twitter.com/PoIcTLk04d6:23 PM

Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Joel Embiid just walked into the Sixers’ locker room. – 6:11 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Doc Rivers said during his pregame availability that he “hopes” Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle will be able to play tonight. He also anticipates moving De’Anthony Melton moving into the starting lineup in place of Harden. – 5:29 PM
Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Doc Rivers: De’Anthony Melton likely to start tonight, though starters won’t necessarily be same every game without James Harden.
Rivers said Sixers are “hoping” to have Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle available tonight. – 5:22 PM
Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Doc Rivers says he “hopes” to have Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle tonight. Both still questionable right now #Sixers5:22 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Doc Rivers says he hopes to have both Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle available tonight.
Says the plan for now is for Melton to replace Harden in the starting lineup while Harden is out. – 5:22 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Doc Rivers says he hopes to have Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle out there tonight. Both Embiid and Thybulle are listed as questionable. Embiid with the flu and Thybulle with a right ankle sprain. #Sixers5:22 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Rivers says Melton is likely to be the fifth starter in place of Harden tonight as long as his back is good to go.
Asked if Embiid will play: “I hope so” – 5:21 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
##Sixers center Joel Embiid is at the practice facility and participated in some portions of shootaround. – 11:16 AM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Joel Embiid was not on the court when the media was let into shootaround this morning ahead of tonight’s game against the Knicks. He did participate in shootaround, however. He’s missed the last two games with a non-COVID illness. – 11:06 AM

More on this storyline

Per Second Spectrum, when Maxey shares the court with Harden and Joel Embiid he averages 16.7 shots per 100 possessions. When he’s out there with just Embiid that number nearly doubles to 32.3. “It’s amazing how he’s in year three now and he’s confident, he’s running his team, he’s playing like an All-Star,” Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal said Wednesday after beating Maxey and the 76ers. “He’s super talented and the game is only going to continue to slow down more and more for him, which is even scarier.” -via ESPN / November 4, 2022
Embiid is still averaging 27.2 points per game on 53.2% shooting from the field, but Philadelphia is still floundering near the bottom of the league in defense — more on that in a bit — and Embiid has grumbled about the ball not moving around the way he’d like it to be. “We just have to keep playing off of each other,” Embiid said after the 76ers’ opening-night loss to the Boston Celtics. “The ball can’t stick … We’ve got to just keep moving the ball, going to the second action, and it just doesn’t stop at the pick-and-roll.” -via ESPN / November 4, 2022