Joel Embiid vs. Ben Simmons Pushed Back Once More

The Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons duo didn’t split up on a high note. After the Philadelphia 76ers came up short in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons requested a trade.

Although the former first-overall pick’s wishes weren’t granted right away, Simmons refused to return to the floor with Embiid and his Sixers teammates. The three-time All-Star missed more than half of the 2021-2022 season before getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

Once Simmons found a new home, he started to ramp up action with the Nets. Considering the Sixers were set to face the Nets one more time before the 2021-2022 regular season concluded, many anticipated the battle of Embiid versus Simmons last March, but it never came.

Unfortunately, those who hoped to see the two former teammates take the floor to face off against each other for the first time on Tuesday will have to wait another few months before the battle potentially takes place.

On Tuesday, the Nets will pay a visit to the Sixers for their first battle of the season. Going into the matchup, it was already clear the Sixers would be down two starters as Tyrese Maxey and James Harden are recovering from injuries.

On Monday, it was revealed that Embiid would join his fellow starters on the injured list, as he suffered a mild foot sprain during Saturday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Embiid will miss Tuesday’s matchup against the Nets and Wednesday’s game against the Hornets. His status beyond that remains unclear as he’ll be re-evaluated in “the coming days,” per a team official.

With Embiid missing Tuesday’s game, it marks the third time the Nets will face the 76ers without both Embiid and Simmons on the floor together once again.

Last season when the Nets paid their final visit to the Sixers with Simmons on the roster, he was dealing with a back injury, which caused him to miss the entire regular season.

When the Sixers and the Nets battled it out in Brooklyn during the preseason, Embiid was issued a rest night after a week-long training camp. This time around, a foot injury will prevent Embiid from playing, while Simmons will take the floor.

The next time the battle could potentially go down will be on January 25, when the Nets return to the Wells Fargo Center. Then, the two teams will battle it out in Brooklyn on February 11.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.