Joel Embiid’s 4th Quarter Absence in 76ers-Nets Matchup Explained

Why did Joel Embiid miss the fourth quarter against the Nets on Saturday?

Feb 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts after a play against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As the Philadelphia 76ers attempted to put together a second-half comeback against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, they leaned heavily on four players in the fourth quarter.

The superstar center, Joel Embiid, was not one of them. In fact, Embiid didn’t play at all during the fourth quarter. While Embiid’s absences this season have been due to setbacks such as knee swelling, a sprained foot, or a sinus fracture, the head coach, Nick Nurse, summed it up to other players had it going.

“That group [Maxey, Grimes, Oubre, PG, Yabu] was just playing so well together and had a good feel for the game at that point,” Nurse told reporters after the game. “I just wanted to let them roll with it.”

Nick Nurse on not playing Joel Embiid in the 4th quarter:

“That group [Maxey, Grimes, Oubre, PG, Yabu] was just playing so well together and had a good feel for the game at that point. I just wanted to let them roll with it.”

— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) February 23, 2025

Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, Guerschon Yabusele, and Paul George played every minute of the fourth quarter on Saturday. Kelly Oubre played roughly nine minutes, with Ricky Council IV seeing three minutes of action in crunch time.

As the Sixers trailed 83-76 heading into the final quarter after being in a near-20-point hole during the game, they looked to an Embiid-less group to help them put the comeback together.

The Sixers and the Nets nearly needed overtime to settle the outcome. The game was tied at 103 during the Nets’ final offensive possession. A Brooklyn three-pointer to take the lead was unsuccessful, but a tip layup with one second left put the Nets out in front before the buzzer.

The Sixers suffered a 105-103 loss. Considering Embiid’s absence late in the game, a moment he would typically be at the top of the pecking order, many wondered whether he was dealing with a new physical setback or not. According to Nurse, that wasn’t the case. As Embiid continues adjusting to the concerns he’s playing through regarding his knee, the Sixers had to rely on others in crunch time.

76ers last seven games:

Loss to Nets
Loss to Celtics
Loss to Nets
Loss to Raptors
Loss to Bucks
Loss to Pistons
Loss to Heat pic.twitter.com/Su2w1PPG5v

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 23, 2025

Embiid finished the matchup by shooting 4-13 from the field and 6-6 from the free-throw line to score 14 points. He had seven rebounds, five assists, and one blocked shot throughout the matchup. The big man played for 31 minutes, which marked a low for all starters.

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