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Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid Has Decent Chance of Returning Friday

Nick Nurse reveals the chances of Joel Embiid returning to play the Hornets.
Justin Grasso|
Mar 17, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) slaps hands with his teammates as he comes out of the game during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images
Mar 17, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) slaps hands with his teammates as he comes out of the game during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

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The Philadelphia 76ers hope to have Joel Embiid back in the mix on Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets.

Following a practice session on Thursday morning, multiple players from the team revealed he’s been a part of the action for two consecutive days and has looked good.

Shortly after the Sixers’ Thursday practice session, the team announced that Embiid would enter Friday’s action against the Hornets listed as questionable to play.

Although the Sixers initially believed Embiid would need at least an additional week off to recover from his sinus fracture, he’ll go through his pregame warmups on Friday night with hopes of playing.

“It’s positive and there’s a decent chance he plays, but there’s still a workout here before the game and see where he’s at exactly before we get that all clear,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Friday night. “It sounds like it’s pretty positive.”

According to Nurse, the Sixers will assess how Embiid is feeling about “just everything.” With him in and out of the lineup this season, it’s been difficult for the star center to find consistency with his conditioning. Not only were the Sixers already extremely cautious about his knee, but the sinus fracture was just another concern to add to the list.

As the Sixers search for consistency this year, they hope to see Embiid back on the floor one week after going down with his latest setback. The last time they saw him in full action against the Chicago Bulls, the Sixers saw the center go for 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in an eight-point win.

Friday’s game serves as an opportunity for the Sixers to improve to 9-16.

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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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