Is Joel Embiid Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for 76ers vs. Pacers)

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has not played in the team's last five games, but he has a chance to return to the lineup on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers.

Embiid (shin, knee) is officially listed as questionable for this matchup, a step in the right direction after he was ruled out in advance for several games in a row.

Joel Embiid (knee, shin) listed questionable for Tuesday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) February 23, 2026

This season, Embiid has appeared in 31 games, missing back-to-backs along the way. He had been a pretty consistent presence in the rotation after returning from a long absence on Nov. 30 until this five-game absence.

Tuesday night could be a good game for Embiid to return, as the Pacers are one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference and have lost three games in a row. Philly may be able to ease Embiid back into action and still pick up a win as it aims to lock up a top-six seed in the conference.

Oddsmakers have set the Sixers as 9.5-point road favorites in this game, a sign that Embiid has a real chance to play in this matchup. The star big man has led Philly to a 19-12 record when he plays, averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from 3.

If he plays, Embiid could be a really solid player prop target on Tuesday night.

Best Joel Embiid Prop Bet vs. Pacers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Joel Embiid 25+ Points (-180)

I’m going to move Embiid’s points prop down a little bit on Tuesday to protect against a potential minutes restriction, but I think he's going to dominate this Philly frontcourt.

The former league MVP had been on a scoring tear before this five-game absence, averaging 29.9 points per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from 3 since Jan. 1.

The Pacers have struggled against elite big men, allowing the second-most points in the paint per game this season. They’re also allowing the seventh-most points per game to opposing centers.

Embiid has at least 25 points in 16 of his last 20 games, making him a pretty safe bet at this number on Tuesday night.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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