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Joel Embiid Could Return for 76ers-Mavericks

The Philadelphia 76ers upgraded Joel Embiid against the Mavericks.
Justin Grasso|
Mar 2, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Mar 2, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ersDallas Mavericks

Will Tuesday night’s matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks mark the long-awaited return of Joel Embiid?

The Sixers center seems to be trending in the right direction.

When the team participated in its Monday morning practice session, Embiid was among a handful of players to return to the practice court, and reports around the team did not indicate he was limited.

Hours later, the Sixers submitted their injury report, and Embiid was upgraded.

According to the official NBA injury report, Embiid is questionable for Tuesday’s game against Dallas.

That’s a great sign, considering it’s been nearly one month since the Sixers had their star big man on the floor.

All season long, knee swelling has affected Embiid’s availability. After he underwent surgery last season to repair a meniscus injury, it’s been a long road to get back to one hundred percent. This year, Embiid made it clear he didn’t want to overplay his hand. He would listen to his body more than ever.

Unfortunately, that plan has left him playing just 13 games through nearly 50 matchups this year.

The last time the Sixers rolled out Embiid was on January 4, when they paid a visit to the Brooklyn Nets. In 29 minutes of action, Embiid scored 28 points, six assists, and 12 rebounds.

His initial stretch of absences following the win in Brooklyn was due to a foot sprain that he suffered on Christmas Day. After taking six games off, Embiid started preparing for a return. Knee swelling took him off the court for nine more games.

Sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 19-29 record, the Sixers could use all the returning help they can get as they need to make a push for the postseason to watch everything come together.

If all goes right for Embiid, he could give the Sixers a shot at improving on Tuesday night against Dallas.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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