The 76ers will remain a shell of themselves when they face the New York Knicks Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Joel Embiid, who has been struggling with a sprained left foot, is one of six Sixers who will remain sidelined. Paul George (right ankle soreness) and Tyrese Maxey (left hand sprain) were cleared to play after being listed as questionable.
Embiid suffered his injury while falling over a security rope before the Sixers game against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. He played in that game and four of the team’s next five matchups, only missing the first game of a back-to-back. However, he’s been sidelined since finishing with 28 points and 12 rebounds in three quarters against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 4.
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Embiid aggravated the foot issue at some point.
“I’m assuming it was during that game or after,” coach Nick Nurse said of when Embiid aggravated his foot. “I don’t know exactly the day. But that’s what I was told that he aggravated his foot. So I’m not sure exactly when.”
The Sixers consider the 2023 NBA MVP as day to day.
“I’m hoping that he’s going to be at practice on Friday,” Nurse said, “and ready to go on for the next [game].”
The Sixers will face the Indiana Pacers on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before playing the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at Fiserv Forum. They’ll conclude their three-game road on Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Is there a specific test that Embiid has to pass before being cleared to play?
“Not that I know of,” Nurse said. “They just tell me if he’s ready to go or not ready to go.”
When asked if there was a pain issue Embiid was dealing with, the coach said he judges that by how Embiid looks on the court in games.
“I say this a lot too, when he’s driving the basket and taking it into the paint and things, I think he’s usually feeling pretty decent,” Nurse said. “I think you’ll see games where he stays out in the perimeter, doesn’t roll as much, that’s [when] he’s playing probably through something. That’s just kind of my own gut instinct, right?
“So yeah, I mean in that game, I think he played 30 minutes, he was driving the ball and feeling pretty good and all that stuff. But again, obviously the foot is bothering him since then.”
Embiid has only played in 13 games this season because of his foot, left knee management, left knee swelling, right sinus fracture, and a three-game suspension.
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Meanwhile, Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), Caleb Martin (right groin soreness), Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain), KJ Martin (left foot stress reaction), and Jared McCain (left knee surgery) will remain sidelined. McCain will miss the remainder of the season.
George, Maxey and Caleb Martin were ruled out of Tuesday’s 118-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the hour leading up the game.
The Sixers (15-23) have lost three straight and six of their last eight games. The Knicks (26-15) have lost five of their last seven.
New York also has some health issues. Karl-Anthony Towns (sprained right thumb) was out, and Jericho Sims (lower back spasms) was listed as questionable. Jalen Brunson (right shoulder soreness) is probable, and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle surgery) is out.