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Joel Embiid Makes Rare Appearance on Road During Sixers’ Loss vs. Cavs

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid showed face in Cleveland on Friday.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during
Jan 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during | Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

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Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers

The Philadelphia 76ers might not have been able to pull off the win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, but at least they might have something to look forward to in the near future.

For the first time in a while, the Sixers welcomed their star center Joel Embiid on the road. Since Embiid went down with a meniscus injury back in late January, the MVP was sent home to undergo testing.

Embiid ultimately decided that a corrective procedure would be best for his knee. Since undergoing surgery last month, Embiid has yet to return to the floor. However, he’s taken steps in the right direction lately.

For the last week or so, Embiid has resumed basketball activities on the court. Although he was limited to solo action, the big man went against teammates in Thursday’s session before the Sixers traveled to Cleveland.

And in order to get a chance to work closely with the team while they are away, Embiid hit the road to join his teammates. On Friday morning, he reportedly participated in a workout following the Sixers’ shootaround session.

As the Sixers battled it out against the Cavaliers, Embiid watched from the bench.

The Sixers found themselves on the wrong end of a tight game once again on Friday. Falling short to the Cavaliers with a 117-114 loss, the Sixers fell to 39-35 on the year. With no other Eastern Conference matchups falling into their favor, Philly remains eighth in the East for the time being.

Getting Embiid back soon would be critical for Philadelphia. Even if the MVP isn’t the top-tier version of himself after a long hiatus, the seven-time All-Star’s presence alone could make a huge difference down the stretch.

It’s unclear when Embiid will return to the court, but his recent activity has hinted that better days are approaching, barring any setbacks.

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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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