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The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Indiana Pacers Wednesday without their starting center. Joel Embiid, who was listed as questionable with foot soreness, has been officially ruled out for the contest. The big man has dealt with this issue for most of the season, and this is likely a routine day off rather than a serious concern.
Joel Embiid is out for tonight’s game against Indiana due to left foot soreness.
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) January 4, 2023
Fantasy basketball impact
With Embiid officially out, both Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed are good DFS value plays. Reed has more upside offensively, but Doc Rivers might trust the veteran Harrell in key situations. Both should see decent playing time against a Pacers team that doesn’t have much size in the middle outside of Myles Turner.
Betting impact
The Pacers were 8-point underdogs to start the day and the line has slowly shifted with Embiid’s injury timeline. Indiana is now just a 5-point underdog at DraftKings Sportsbook, and taking the road team here might be the move. The Pacers have been strong against the number as underdogs this season and often pull off surprising wins from this position.