The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to prepare for the 2019-20 season with their three scrimmage games before the seeding games beginning on August 1. On Sunday they will play the second of those scrimmage games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they will be doing so without their star big man.
Joel Embiid will be held out of the matchup on Sunday due to some discomfort he is experiencing in his right calf. He began feeling some issues in their matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and the Sixers consider him day-to-day moving forward. Considering this is only a scrimmage game, it makes sense to hold the big fella out of this one.
Embiid experienced the discomfort during Friday’s game vs. the #MemphisGrizzlies and considered day-to-day with right -calf tightness.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) July 26, 2020
This most likely means that Al Horford will move into the starting lineup and this does give coach Brett Brown an opportunity to look at other players in his rotation. These scrimmage games are an opportunity to get back into the swing of things and see what the team has with this new lineup. There is no reason to push Embiid this early.
Tip-off from Orlando is set for 12:00 p.m. EST. [lawrence-related id=35485,35475,35464]