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

The latest injury update for Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid on Friday night against the Indiana Pacers.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has played in two of the team's last three games, and he's officially listed as probable for Friday night's matchup with the Indiana Pacers.

The Sixers have been trying to manage Embiid's knee injury all season long, but the probable tag suggests that the former league MVP will play on Friday. It would be the first time that Embiid played in two straight games for Philly since he played on Oct. 28 and Oct. 31 earlier this season.

Joel Embiid (injury recovery) listed probable for Friday.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 11, 2025

Embiid has appeared in just nine games in the 2025-26 season, averaging 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from 3. The star big man hasn't been nearly dominant as a scorer this season, shooting 5-for-13 and 4-for-21 in his last two games.

The best days of Embiid's career may be behind him, but oddsmakers still view him as a positive asset for Philly, setting it s a 7.5-point favorite on Friday night.

Here's a look at how I'd bet on Embiid in the prop market against this Pacers squad.

Best Joel Embiid Prop Bet vs. Pacers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Joel Embiid UNDER 22.5 Points (-110)

So far this season, Embiid has cleared 22.5 points just two times, and he's only played over 30 minutes in one game (the team's recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers).

So, betting on him to have a big scoring game comes with a ton of risk, especially since he's shooting just 40.7 percent from the field. Embiid is taking 31.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc this season and just 19.3 percent from inside three feet. So, he's settling for a lot of jump shots and doesn't seem to have the explosiveness near the rim that he had earlier in his career.

The Pacers rank 22nd in the NBA in opponent points in the paint per game, but I'm not sold on Embiid taking advantage of that. The former MVP has failed to reach 20 points in three straight games after a lengthy absence in November, and he looks like a shell of himself at times on the offensive end.

I'll fade him against an Indiana team that is playing better as of late, ranking sixth in the NBA in defensive rating over its last 10 games.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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