76ers vs. Thunder: What’s Joel Embiid’s Injury Status?

Joel Embiid is trending in the right direction ahead of Saturday's game against the Thunder.

For the first time all season, Joel Embiid missed a game on Wednesday night as the Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The absence didn’t come as much of a shock, considering Embiid was kicking around the idea of potentially getting the night off on the eve of the matchup.

“I’m not sure,” he said when asked if he would play in Minnesota. “We’re going to figure out what happens, so I’ll just listen to them. I’ve been beat up a little bit, so we’ll see with them and then go from there.”

At the time, the Sixers had just wrapped up a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which required overtime to settle the score. Embiid checked in for a season-high 41 minutes. Although he wasn’t on the injury report leading up to the game, he was questionable with hip soreness in three of the previous five games before the Sixers took a trip to Minnesota.

In the hours leading up to the start of the second game of the back-to-back set, the Sixers ruled Embiid out for the night. In his absence, Nick Nurse started Marcus Morris for the first time this season, allowing Paul Reed to resume his usual role off the bench.

Why 76ers Started Morris Over Reed 

Without Embiid, the Sixers failed to find success versus the Timberwolves. Facing the top team in the Western Conference currently, the Sixers dropped the matchup with a 112-99 loss. On Saturday, the Sixers will look to climb out of their two-game losing streak with a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Will Embiid be on board for the battle? He’s on pace to make his return. When the Sixers submitted their injury report to the NBA on Friday night, Embiid was deemed probable to play. Barring any unexpected changes, the seven-footer should be good to go.

This season, Embiid has been critical to Philadelphia’s success. In 14 games, he’s averaged 32 points, which currently leads the league. In addition to his scoring, Embiid’s been passing better than ever, generating a career-high six assists per game. On the glass, he’s coming down with 11 rebounds per game.

Defending his MVP title, Embiid looks to be in the conversation for Most Valuable Player for a fourth-straight season. After getting the night off on Wednesday, the campaign is on pace to continue Saturday night in Oklahoma City.