Joel Embiid Misses Practice Before 76ers vs Bulls Matchup

The Philadelphia 76ers missed their star center at practice.

Feb 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

After a disappointing loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, the Philadelphia 76ers didn’t spend their Sunday with the day off. Well, most of the team didn’t.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, they didn’t have their star big man, Joel Embiid, on the court for Sunday’s practice session ahead of their matchup against the Chicago Bulls. The head coach, Nick Nurse, told reporters that Embiid was not a participant.

All season long, Embiid’s knee has kept him off the court for stretches. Heading into the season, Embiid planned to be on a strict injury management plan, which would include absences every now and then. But as swelling has occurred on multiple occasions, Embiid has missed plenty of games.

Nick Nurse says that Justin Edwards was about a 75% participant in today's practice, and that there is a chance he plays in tomorrow's game.

Joel Embiid did not practice.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 23, 2025

Overall, Embiid has played in just 19 of the 76ers’ 56 games this year. He played more than three games in a row on just one occasion. Monday’s action against the Bulls could be Embiid’s third-straight appearance for the fourth time this year, but his status is in question.

Since the Sixers returned from the All-Star break, Embiid checked in for 27 minutes against the Boston Celtics. The big man shot just 33 percent from the field, scoring 15 points. Embiid came down with three rebounds and dished out four assists. After the game, Embiid admitted that his body hasn’t felt right, compared to past seasons.

Still, Embiid pushed through the complications and played again against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Although Embiid played for 31 minutes, he missed the entire fourth quarter. Nick Nurse didn’t suggest there was a physical setback. Instead, the team saw an opportunity to get a comeback going with a different lineup in crunch time.

Embiid finished Saturday’s game with 14 points on 4-13 shooting. The Sixers lost their seventh game in a row with a two-point defeat against Brooklyn.

The Sixers and the Bulls will meet for a 7 PM ET tip on Monday. Embiid is likely a game-time decision for the matchup.

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