Will Sixers, Wolves Give Philadelphia a Showdown?

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers may be situated in opposing conferences, but they're playing for the same things on Friday night.

The Wolves have a healthy lead over the Phoenix Suns for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the West, but they could still very feasibly climb to the third seed in the conference. Even more so now that Luka Doncic could miss extended time for the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering a hamstring injury in Thursday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A couple states east, the Sixers sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference by virtue of a tiebreaker with the Toronto Raptors. They are clinging to the right to avoid the Play-In tournament, and yet could still feasibly move up to the fifth seed in the East. With Joel Embiid and Paul George, the extra couple days off before opening a playoff series could be critical.

Much is at stake for both teams on Friday. In the Sixers' case, it will be Friday and Saturday, as they host the Detroit Pistons in a back-to-back.

It appears both teams will have at least most hands on deck.

Embiid was listed as 'doubtful' on the initial injury report due to an illness after missing the Sixers' victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday with the ailment.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was deemed 'questionable' on Minnesota's 12:45 p.m., Eastern time, injury report for the game due to right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and an illness.

Edwards was seen at Xfinity Mobile Arena, walking to the away team's locker room in street clothes, as the Sixers finished up their game day shootaround. It wouldn't be the first time that a player was visible for shootaround and later ruled out, but it would seem to be a decent sign of Edwards' availability that he made it to the arena on Friday morning.

Shortly after Edwards' status was revealed, Embiid was upgraded to 'probable' for the game.

If Embiid does play, and it seems like he will, the only Sixer who will not be available is Johni Broome, who is recovering from surgery on the meniscus in his right knee.

As for the rest of the Timberwolves, starter Jaden McDaniels is out with patella tendinopathy in his left knee. Enrique Freeman, Zyon Pullin and Rocco Zikarsky are all out on Two-Way G League assignments.

Call the babysitter, cancel that dinner. Whatever you have going on, a critical weekend of Sixers basketball is about to tip off in South Philadelphia.