Joel Embiid has been upgraded to questionable ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. The Sixers star has not played since January 4 as he has continually battled a knee issue.
In addition, Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, KJ Martin, and Andre Drummond are each listed as questionable while Paul George remains out with his injured pinky.
Injuries have been the story of the Sixers’ season with Embiid at the heart of this. The former MVP was not physically ready to play at the start of the year, missing the opening nine games of the season. He was suspended to conclude this absence for an altercation with a reporter and still has yet to play more than four consecutive games this season. Knee issues have bothered Embiid throughout his career, with the root of this year’s problems connected to the torn meniscus he sustained last season.
After an exciting offseason in which Philadelphia signed Paul George to a max contract, the trio of Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey have only shared the floor for 192:55 of action so far this season across 10 games together. While the Sixers are 7-3 in these games, Philadelphia remains 19-29 on the season, 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
Getting Joel Embiid back on the floor and playing regularly will be the first step to turning around the season. The Sixers have a large hole to dig out of, and the actions of Daryl Morey over the next few days leading up to the trade deadline will tell more about their outlook on the year.
It also should be noted that the Mavericks’ new acquisitions, Anthony Davis and Max Christie, have been upgraded to questionable and have a chance to make their team debuts in this matchup.
After entering the season being looked at as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference entering the season, Philadelphia has seen its title odds shift to +6000 on DraftKings Sportsbook, the 15th-best odds in the NBA. They also hold +2500 odds of winning the Eastern Conference and +110 odds of making the playoffs.
Getting Embiid back on the floor is a huge step in the right direction for the franchise, but the Sixers have plenty of work still to do if they are to make this a respectable season.
