The Philadelphia 76ers open the 2025-26 NBA regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 22, against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Before then, they’ll play their preseason finale Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So far, the Sixers are winless in preseason play at 0-3, having been without Paul George, Joel Embiid and rookie guard Jared McCain in all three contests. George has already been ruled out for the season opener, but Embiid’s status remains uncertain.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the 76ers are “hopeful” that Embiid will be able to suit up against Boston. Still, given his injury history, Philadelphia is expected to proceed with caution.
Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, has never played more than 68 games in a season and has yet to complete a full 82-game campaign. He missed his first two professional seasons with injuries and appeared in only 19 games last year as the Sixers stumbled to a 24-58 record.
When healthy, Embiid remains one of the most dominant players in the league. In limited action last season, he averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, a noticeable decline from the previous four seasons in which he averaged at least 28.5 points per game. His 8.2 rebounds were also his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2016-17.
If Embiid can return to form and stay on the court, the 76ers could re-emerge as a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. Combined with Tyrese Maxey, McCain and VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia boasts a promising mix of veteran leadership and young talent capable of taking a major step forward in 2026.