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

The latest injury update for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.

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

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has played in the team's last four games, but he is listed as questionable on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.

The Sixers are listing Embiid with multiple injuries in this matchup, including left knee injury management and right ankle soreness.

Sixers small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain), power forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain), and center Joel Embiid (left knee injury management, right ankle soreness) are questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Washington Wizards.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) January 6, 2026

The former league MVP played over 40 minutes in Philly's overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, so there's a chance the team may want to give him an extra day off against a Washington team that is one of the worst in the Eastern Conference.

The Wizards are playing the second night of a back-to-back in this game, and they have won seven of their last 12 games after a terrible star to the season.

Overall, Embiid has played in 17 games this season, averaging 23.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 23.6 percent from 3-point range. The star center was listed as probable on Monday against Denver, so the downgrade to questionable doesn't exactly bode well for his status on Wednesday night.

Philadelphia is still a massive favorite at home in this matchup against Washington. The Sixers are 12.5-point favorites in the latest odds at DraftKings, although they lost outright as 15.5-point favoirtes against Denver. So, Tyrese Maxey and company will look to avoid another bad loss on Jan. 7.

In the 17 games that Embiid has played in, the 76ers are 9-8. Right now, they hold the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have some tough matchups coming up against Orlando (Friday) and Toronto (Sunday and Monday).

There's a chance the Sixers want Embiid at full strength for those games, so it's possible he rests on Wednesday. Bettors and fans should have a better understanding of Embiid's status after the team's shootaround on Wednesday, and the Sixers should update his availability closer to tip off tonight.

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