Joel Embiid
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Joel Embiid is out for the Philadelphia 76ers' game on Tuesday, January 20.
Lately, the Philadelphia 76ers have been competing without their star center, Joel Embiid.
After going through a relatively healthy stretch, Embiid started experiencing soreness in his knee. Before the NBA reached the All-Star break, the star center missed two games in a row. The Sixers didn’t lead anybody to believe that the setback was severe enough to have him off the court for a while.
However, when the Sixers returned from their week-long break, Embiid was ruled out for the first game back on February 19 against the Atlanta Hawks. He missed the following two games as well.
Will Joel Embiid Have A Shot To Return vs. Indiana Pacers?
GettyThe Philadelphia 76ers could get Joel Embiid back from an injury against the Indiana Pacers.
A shot? Sure. But nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Embiid’s status at this stage of his recovery.
Not only is the star center dealing with a knee concern, but a shin issue has popped up as well. The big man reported soreness as the Sixers worked on returning from the break.
The Sixers fired up a road trip on February 21, starting in New Orleans. Embiid was with the team, but ruled out right away. When the Sixers battled the Minnesota Timberwolves on night two of a back-to-back set, Embiid was ruled out as soon as the team released the injury report hours leading up to the game.
For the matchup against the Indiana Pacers on February 24, Embiid is officially listed as questionable. He could be a game-time decision on the road, as the Sixers look to keep the ball rolling so they can climb out of a slump.
The Sixers Need Joel Embiid Back Soon
Sixers All-Star, Joel Embiid
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty ImagesThe Sixers could use Joel Embiid back for a strong stretch to close out the year.
A 135-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves offered a feel-good moment for the Sixers, but that’s simply because they snapped a four-game losing streak.
Without Embiid, the Sixers haven’t looked promising. That doesn’t come as a surprise, as that’s been a trend for this team for quite some time.
This year, Embiid had a slow start to the season as his minutes were restricted. Once he settled in, the star center started to look like the All-Star version of himself once again.
In 31 games, Embiid averaged 31.4 minutes on the court. He shot 49 percent from the field to score 26.6 points per game. Along with his scoring, Embiid came down with 7.5 rebounds per game. He also blocked 1.1 shots per game and dished out 3.9 assists per game.
Considering Embiid struggled to stay healthy long-term over the past two seasons, getting to the playoffs healthy has been the top priority. While a multi-game absence from the big man clearly impacts the team in a major way, the Sixers haven’t fallen out of playoff contention. Heading into the Pacers matchup, the Sixers are 31-26, which is good for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia trailed the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors by three games. It won’t be an easy climb to improve their standings, but if the Sixers can get Embiid back on the floor consistently, they have a shot at becoming one of the East’s biggest threats.
The Sixers and the Pacers are scheduled for a 7 PM ET tip on February 24.