The Philadelphia 76ers have only had superstar center Joel Embiid available for 13 games this season, and that number won’t be changing for the next little while as the 30-year-old continues to battle a variety of injuries. Here’s the latest update from ESPN’s Shams Charania:
76ers say Embiid participated in an on-court workout Thursday and experienced an increase in knee swelling following the session. https://t.co/bXRFaDphfQ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 17, 2025
If Embiid misses the next 10 days, that would mean he misses five more games with his next chance to return a back-to-back on January 28 and 29 against the Lakers and Kings. However, given how many injuries he has struggled with this year and how many setbacks he has had, it doesn’t seem wise to count on him to return any time soon.
For however long Embiid is out, the team will continue to rely on Tyrese Maxey and Paul George in the backcourt, while Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele will fill in at center. Drummond has been out lately with a sprained toe, so Yabusele has been filling in and stepping up with big minutes at center, though both are listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest against the Pacers.. Adem Bona has been getting some run with Drummond sidelined and could see a massive role if both sit. George is also questionable versus Indiana.
The Sixers are 15-24 on the season and currently sit in the 11-seed in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the Bulls for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. After losing four straight, they’ll go on the road to Indiana and Milwaukee on Saturday and Sunday.
