4:38 pm: Embiid and Edgecombe will both start on Sunday vs. Atlanta, the team announced (Twitter link via Neubeck). Nurse said earlier today that both players would be on a minutes restriction, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays (via Twitter).
Drummond will be active as well, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
1:05 pm: After previously being listed as out, Embiid has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s contest, per Neubeck (Twitter link).
10:00 am: Joel Embiid has been ruled out for the Sixers‘ game against the Hawks on Sunday, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
There had previously been minor optimism among the coaching staff that Embiid would be able to suit up. Asked on Saturday about the big man’s odds of playing today, head coach Nick Nurse responded, “I think there’s a chance, but I don’t know if I would put it as good, bad, or medium” (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).
When asked by Neubeck whether there were specific tests or benchmarks that Embiid needed to exceed before being cleared to return to play, Nurse didn’t provide specifics.
“I think it’s just getting through some pain and then also some on-court activity,” the Sixers’ coach said. “Kind of a combination of those things.”
Embiid has appeared in six games for Philadelphia this season and is averaging career lows in points (19.7) and rebounds (5.5) per game. He has missed the past nine games and will remain out for at least one more.
Bodner notes that while Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford remain out with a left knee sprain and left adductor sprain, respectively, VJ Edgecombe has been upgraded to questionable as he looks to return from the calf tightness that has caused him to miss the last three games. Andre Drummond is also listed as questionable with a right knee contusion.
Is it just me, or do we have a league full of wimps? The more money they make, the more time they miss!
Professional athletes don’t seem to believe in professional conditioning programs.
He needs to start the PROCESS and retire
The game has never been harder to play. Pace and space exacerbations. Conditioning has never been this intense.
Sure u have individual instances of guys like Luka or Zion not taking stuff seriously. But in the aggregate, Blame the schedule not the athletes.
@benjivain- spot on dude, players are running farther and faster than ever before. Most of them play through pain and minor bang ups and even guys like Embiid play through orbital fractures, Bell’s palsy and often times came back from injury before he should have. I doubt there are many or any who just want to sit out.
It’s mostly just you.
I’m no Embiid fan, but the dude is 7 foot tall, 280lbs and trying to run around on one bad knee and one destroyed knee. Most people wouldn’t be able to comprehend the pain he’ll be in every day.
It’s you.
Medical retirement ———
“The team’s primary motivation for pursuing a medical retirement is cap relief. The player still gets paid the guaranteed money owed to them. Speculation around Embiid’s recurring knee issues has led to theoretical discussions about the Sixers potentially using this mechanism, but it would require a definitive, career-ending medical declaration, not just a pattern of frequent injuries. Embiid is currently listed as day-to-day and is expected to play again. “
Hasn’t played in two yrs …….
I love Embiid, I wish his career had worked out differently with injury issues. But as a Sixers fan I’m very much looking forward to the day of not playing the will they won’t they game with him and George.
You guys make a lot of excuses for these wimps.