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

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid missed the front end of a back-to-back against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, but he returned to the lineup and played over 35 minutes in Philly's win on Monday night.

Now, it appears that the former league MVP is good to go for Wednesday's marquee matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as he's listed as probable on the team's injury report.

Joel Embiid (knee, adductor) listed probable for Wednesday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 13, 2026

That's great news for the 76ers, who are 12-8 in the 20 games that Embiid has played in this season. The star center opened the season on a clear minutes restriction, but he's played at least 30 minutes in 11 of his last 12 games.

Embiid is averaging 23.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while his shooting numbers are starting to tick up. He's now shooting 47.2 percent from the field, but he's still just 22.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Oddsmakers have set Philly as a 1.5-point favorite at home in this matchup, another sign that Embiid should be good to play his usual role.

Let's take a look at the prop odds for the big man, and how I'd wager on him in this game.

Best Joel Embiid Prop Bet vs. Cavs

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Joel Embiid OVER 8.5 Rebounds (-128)

Since returning from a lengthy absence in November, Embiid's rebounding has improved as his minutes have increased. He's averaging 7.8 boards per game over his last 14 games, and he's cleared 8.5 rebounds in three of his six games this month.

The Cavs -- despite having Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt -- have not been a great rebounding team this season. They rank 22nd in the league in rebound percentage and 21st in opponent rebounds per game, making this a pretty favorable matchup for Embiid if he's going to play 30-plus minutes.

When Embiid has reached the 30-minute mark this season, he's grabbed nine or more rebounds in six of 12 games. That makes him a valuable target in this market.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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