76ers Make Call on Joel Embiid’s Playing Status vs. Hawks on Wednesday

 

Heading into their matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers anticipate being shorthanded at the center position. Once again, Joel Embiid is out. Wednesday will mark the second straight game Embiid will miss. His absence is due to swelling in the knee.

Embiid’s most recent setback occurred last Friday as the Sixers hosted the New York Knicks. In a matchup that became the Sixers’ worst loss of the 2023-2024 season, Embiid was seen favoring his left knee throughout the matchup.

After the game, he assumed he would be fine moving forward, but Embiid hasn’t participated in a game or practice since his 36-minute shift against the Knicks. On a slightly positive note, Embiid was spotted getting up shots after practice on Monday afternoon.

Despite not participating in the session and having his knee wrapped, Embiid was still in attendance and worked on what he could. Since November, Embiid has seen his fair share of absences.

After starting the season off with 14 straight appearances, Embiid went inactive for the first time one month into the season. After returning for two games, he missed his first set of consecutive games on November 29 and December 1. When Embiid returned from an illness on December 6, he appeared in nine straight games, averaging 34 minutes on the court.

The big man was having a dominant December, putting up 40 points per game while averaging 13 rebounds. His progress derailed after the team’s December 22 matchup against the Toronto Raptors. During Philly’s ten-point win, Embiid suffered a sprained ankle. As a result, he missed the team’s four-game road trip to close out 2023.

The big man returned for the first two games of last week’s slate. He totaled 61 points and 25 rebounds as the Sixers collected one win and one loss. After missing last Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz, the Sixers dropped their second-straight outing. The Sixers will look to avoid dropping three games in a row for the first time this season on Wednesday night in Atlanta. They’ll have to do so without their MVP-winning big man.

Is 76ers’ Joel Embiid playing tonight vs. the Hawks? 

Embiid has been ruled out with left knee swelling after missing the 76ers’ recent practices. It will be his second missed game in a row and his ninth overall.

Embiid hurt his ankle and knee in a game this past Friday against the New York Knicks and missed the 76ers’ previous game against the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back. He wore a big wrap on his knee at practice on Monday. While he has once again been playing at an MVP level, the amount of games he has missed will jeopardize his chance of winning the award again.

Robert Covington is also out for the 76ers due to left knee swelling while De’Anthony Melton is listed as questionable with lumbar spine soreness. The Hawks have listed Trae Young (right shoulder soreness) as probable and Clint Capela (right Achilles soreness), Wesley Matthews (right calf soreness) and Kobe Bufkin (G League assignment) as questionable. Atlanta has also ruled out De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation), Vit Krejci (left shoulder subluxation), Mouhamed Gueye (right low back stress fracture) and Garrison Matthews (left ankle sprain).

The question of whether Joel Embiid playing tonight has been answered: he will be ruled out. The 76ers have a record of 2-6 this season without the big man and will try to improve that record against the Hawks.