The Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to pick up a much-needed win following two bad losses in Florida to begin their four-game road trip, but they will have to do so without Joel Embiid who will miss the game due to left knee soreness.
In place of Embiid, the Sixers will start Kyle O’Quinn who has only played 18 games so far in his Sixers tenure averaging 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds with Philadelphia. He will be making his return to Indiana following a year with the Pacers in the 2018-19 season.
The move to start O’Quinn is interesting considering coach Brett Brown has started Mike Scott in the past in place of an injured Embiid.
#Sixers starting Kyle O’Quinn at PF
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) December 31, 2019
Philadelphia will move O’Quinn to power forward next to Al Horford at the center spot. Horford has averaged 18.6 points in the previous six games Embiid has missed and with him in a slump, this offers a new opportunity for him to get a groove offensively. [lawrence-related id=22468,22453,22246]