HOUSTON – Joel Embiid will miss the 76ers’ Thursday night game against the Rockets due to illness, according to the NBA’s afternoon injury report.
Embiid’s absence is a big blow to a Sixers team that needs a win in Houston to avoid the play-in tournament. They entered Thursday with a 43-36 record and eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with three games remaining. The Sixers are a half-game behind the seventh-place Orlando Magic (44-36), a game behind the sixth-place Toronto Raptors (44-35), and a half-game behind the ninth-place Charlotte Hornets (43-37).
Embiid, who missed Monday’s game at the San Antonio Spurs with an ankle injury, felt ill Thursday morning and will be examined by a doctor in Houston, a league source told The Inquirer. He was not listed on Wednesday evening’s injury report and was present at the Sixers’ practice at Toyota Center earlier that day. The Sixers did not hold a shootaround Thursday morning.
This unexpected absence comes nearly a week after Embiid publicly criticized the organization for holding him out of the April 1 win at the Washington Wizards due to illness, after he missed the team’s morning film session. Embiid said he was “(sneaked)” when he found out online that he would not be playing, and any further questions should be directed to president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
Embiid was not expected to play in both of the Sixers’ upcoming back-to-back games, including Friday’s matchup at the Indiana Pacers. But it would be much more logical for Embiid to miss the game against the Pacers, who have the NBA’s second-worst record (18-61) and are actively “tanking” in the final weeks of the season.
This is the latest injury-impacted season for Embiid, who returned on March 25 from an oblique strain that kept him out for nearly a month. The former NBA Most Valuable Player has also battled calf strains and problems with both knees this season. He is averaging 26.9 points on 48.9% shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 blocks in 38 games this season.
Without Embiid, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona are contenders to start at center. Dominic Barlow and Jabari Walker are also short options at the position.
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