Joel Embiid’s injury absence is set to continue as the Philadelphia 76ers superstar has been ruled out for an additional two games with his continued knee issues. He last played on January 4th against the Brooklyn Nets and has not played more than four consecutive games all season.
On the positive side, Embiid returned to the practice floor today and was a partial participant. The Sixers are set to face off with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings over the next two games.
Embiid has suited up for just 13 of a possible 44 games so far this season. He has already been ruled out for any postseason awards due to the number of games missed and his lack of availability has been a significant factor in the Sixers’ 17-27 record at the season’s halfway mark.
In addition, Paul George left the previous matchup with the Bulls due to an injury to his pinkie finger on his non-shooting hand. He has been ruled out for tomorrow’s matchup with the Lakers and did not practice today, although he is still undergoing tests to decide the severity of this injury. The trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey have played just 10 games this season with the Sixers winning seven of those matchups.
Philadelphia has dropped to 11th place in the Eastern Conference with their outlook seeming bleaker than most thought possible. They now hold -145 odds to miss the playoffs on DraftKings Sportsbook and are +115 to make the postseason. The Sixers are one game back from the 10th seed, which would be the final Play-In Tournament slot, and 5.5 games back from the sixth seed.
The Sixers continue to speak with optimism regarding Embiid’s return to the floor, but this will be delayed for at least two more games. The team will not reach their peak without the former MVP playing a key role and his internal battle with his body continues to rob the Sixers of reaching their potential. There is still plenty of talent on this Sixers roster and a large chunk of the season remaining, but Embiid’s ongoing injury issues will continue to headline the news out of Philadelphia.
