76ers vs. Cavaliers: Joel Embiid Finally Avoids Injury Report
Coming off of his most healthy season as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers yet, Joel Embiid has had a difficult time following up during the 2022-2023 NBA season.
Although Embiid started the year off averaging over 30 minutes on the floor in the first five games, he would miss his first matchup of the season in late October due to knee soreness.
After returning to the court for one game, Embiid then missed three-straight matchups as he was dealing with the flu. Eventually, Embiid returned to the court and gave the short-handed Sixers a stellar six-game run, but a mid-foot sprain affected his flow.
Last week, Embiid missed the Sixers’ entire four-game slate when they faced the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and the Orlando Magic twice. When the Sixers approached their Monday night matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Embiid went from being listed as out to questionable.
Two hours before tip-off, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers mentioned that Embiid would be a game-time decision. After going through his pregame warmups before the Atlanta matchup, Embiid deemed himself ready to go.
Sure enough, the big man played 35 minutes against Atlanta. He shot 50 percent from the field on 18 attempts and drained 12 free throws. Overall, Embiid produced 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two blocks in his first game back.
After the matchup, Embiid admitted it was difficult to push through the sprain and the after-effects, but Embiid’s most recent setback won’t keep him off the court for long.
As the Sixers are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night, Embiid was left off the team’s injury report for the first time in over a week. Therefore, he’s cleared for action and will play against the Cavs, barring any unexpected setbacks.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
