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Joel Embiid’s Initial Injury Report Status for Sixers vs. Miami Heat

Could Joel Embiid miss the Philadelphia 76ers' Play-In game against the Miami Heat.
Justin Grasso|
Apr 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) hands the ball to
Apr 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) hands the ball to | Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

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Wednesday night will be the first time the Philadelphia 76ers compete in the NBA Play-In Tournament. They’ll go toe-to-toe with the Miami Heat for the battle of the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed.

According to the Sixers’ injury report, Joel Embiid is questionable for the matchup. As expected, the Sixers are going to enter the matchup with the big man viewed as a game-time decision.

Considering the Sixers need Wednesday’s win to punch their ticket to the playoffs, the chances of Embiid sitting out seem low. While the Sixers recently won two games without him since his return, it’s clear they are a much different team when the MVP is available.

Before going out with his meniscus injury, Embiid averaged 35 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in 34 games. He was widely considered an MVP favorite before reaching a 29-game recovery period after undergoing surgery on his meniscus.

When he returned in early April, Embiid managed to get a five-game run under his belt before the regular season concluded. He averaged 30 points, nine rebounds, and five assists amidst an eight-game win streak for the Sixers.

During one of those games, the Sixers battled it out with the Miami Heat. It was Embiid’s second game back in action. In 32 minutes, he scored 29 points on 44 percent shooting. The Sixers defeated the Heat with a four-point victory.

For the last few days, the Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse has expressed confidence in Embiid’s availability for Wednesday’s outing. Even though Embiid missed the Sixers’ season finale on Sunday against Brooklyn, Nurse was under the impression the absence was due to the medical staff being as cautious as possible.

For the time being, the Sixers will keep Embiid on the injury report as they prepare for the matchup against Miami, which is set to take place at 7 PM on Wednesday.

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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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