Why Did 76ers Push Back Joel Embiid’s Preseason Debut vs. Nets?

Joel Embiid was expected to make his preseason debut against the Nets on Monday night.

Heading into the matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers went back on their decision to trot out the MVP center, Joel Embiid.

In the day leading up to the game, Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse mentioned he expected Embiid to make his debut in Brooklyn. When the Sixers wrapped up their shootaround session in the morning, Embiid was ruled out for the night.

It turned out he wasn’t with the team.

Shortly before the Sixers and the Nets tipped off for the night, Nick Nurse revealed that Embiid was under the weather, hence the reason why he didn’t make the trip to Brooklyn. 

With three preseason games in the bag for the Sixers, Embiid has one game left to play before the regular season begins. 

Friday’s preseason finale could end up becoming must-see TV for Sixers fans. Not only could it be the first time Embiid competes in Nick Nurse’s system for the hoops world to see, but it also might be James Harden’s preseason debut, months after he hinted he might not play for the 76ers again.

When Friday rolls around, the Sixers will go toe-to-toe with the Atlanta Hawks. While Embiid might not play a ton if he does get cleared for action, the minutes he picks up will be crucial for his conditioning, considering he hasn’t played in a live NBA game since May.

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