As the Philadelphia 76ers approach the NBA All-Star break, the veteran center Joel Embiid is dealing with a minor setback.
The veteran center was listed as questionable for the action between the Sixers and the New York Knicks. Before he even had a chance to go through his usual warmup routine, the Sixers made the call on his status. He was ruled out for the second game in a row.
“I think it’s right knee soreness,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters before the game. On the injury report, the Sixers typically describe Embiid’s absence as knee injury management, but Wednesday’s scenario was clearly slightly more concerning.
“After the game in Phoenix. That’s it. It’s bothering him enough to where he’s not playing. I think it is improving a little bit. Just not quite there to get out there tonight,” Nurse added.
Before Wednesday’s game, Embiid hadn’t missed two matchups in a row since late December. Three of his five absences since December 28 occurred during a back-to-back set.
Heading into the final matchup of a five-game road trip out West, Embiid got the night off against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Sixers struggled in his absence, losing 135-118. Wednesday’s outing at home against the Knicks didn’t go much better. The Sixers were destroyed 138-89.
Fortunately, they’ll get a week off, as the All-Star break comes at the right time. Between Embiid’s ailment, the illnesses of Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes, along with Tyrese Maxey’s heavy minutes, the Sixers need a break.
“I think that anybody that’s a little bit sore and dinged up has a chance here to get some treatment for a week and off their feet for a week,” Nurse added. “He would certainly be included in that for sure.”
The Sixers are approaching the break as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a small lead over the Orlando Magic, but they will come back far from being locked into a playoff spot. Getting Embiid healthy is a priority for the Sixers, who know they will continue competing without Paul George until late March, as he serves a suspension.
This year, Embiid has appeared in 31 games. When healthy, he’s producing like one of the top centers in the game again. The big man has knocked down 49 percent of his shots, posting averages of 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
After the break, the Sixers will be back on the court for a home matchup on February 19 against the Atlanta Hawks.
For all the latest NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.