Joel Embiid’s Official Playing Status for 76ers-Bulls

It’s been weeks since the Philadelphia 76ers have seen their star center Joel Embiid in action.

The trend won’t be broken on Saturday night, as the Philadelphia 76ers take a visit to Illinois to face the Chicago Bulls.

The Sixers’ decision to sit Embiid once again doesn’t come as a surprise. As the team geared up for its Friday night matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the head coach Nick Nurse closed out his pregame press conference with a status on the seven-time All-Star big man.

“He’s not gonna play tomorrow,” Nurse stated.

According to the NBA injury report, Embiid has been ruled out officially.

Joel Embiid (knee) to miss at least 7-10 days.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) January 17, 2025

Missing 10 in a row, Saturday’s absence in Chicago marks Embiid’s 11th straight. It will be the fifth game he’ll miss due to knee swelling.

After the Sixers went against the New York Knicks on January 15, Embiid was expected to return from a foot sprain. Although he was cleared to participate in a private workout session, Embiid experienced swelling in his knee afterward. The Sixers ruled him out for at least 7-10 days.

When the Sixers closed out their three-game road trip, they returned to the practice court on Thursday. Embiid was present but did not participate.

The big man missed Friday night’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’ll miss the matchup against the Bulls, leaving Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at home as his next opportunity to take the court. By then, the Sixers should have an update on where he’s at.

Will Paul George Complete the Back-to-Back?

When it comes to the seasoned stars, Embiid and Paul George, the Sixers have been cautious with their approach to back-to-back sets.

Embiid didn’t plan to participate in back-to-backs at all this year. At first, George didn’t, but he did play on consecutive nights when he was feeling 100 percent.

Remaining in good health, George will get the nod to play on Saturday night against the Bulls.

Lately, George has been dealing with a groin-related setback. Since the start of the new year, George has had four absences. His first came on January 8 against the Washington Wizards.

George returned to the floor on January 10 to face the New Orleans Pelicans. He appeared in two straight games before taking off the first night of a back-to-back set.

After appearing in 43 minutes against the New York Knicks, George missed the next two games due to his setback. When the Sixers paid a visit to the Denver Nuggets on January 21, George returned.

Friday’s game against Cleveland marked his second game back. George had a stellar outing, scoring 30 points on 52 percent shooting from the field. The Sixers pulled off an upset victory against the top-seeded Cavs.

The Sixers and the Bulls will tip at 8 PM ET.

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