Joel Embiid's Injury Status For 76ers vs Pelicans

The 7-time all-star appears on the injury report for Friday night's game against New Orleans.

Dec 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks to pass the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers host the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center. This matchup is the first of the season between the two teams, with the game in New Orleans scheduled for March 24th. Philadelphia comes into the game with a 15-20 record on the year, which is not the start they hoped for after acquiring Paul George in the offseason to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

A major reason for the early-season struggles is Embiid's health. The former MVP has missed 22 games this season with various injuries, and the Sixers are 8-14 when he doesn't play. Embiid missed the last two games with a sprained foot, which he first injured during the Christmas Day game against the Boston Celtics..

The 7-time all-star returned to practice on Thursday on a limited basis, giving some hope that he might play on Friday night. However, the 76ers released their injury report and listed the seven-foot center as out for the matchup against the Pelicans.

Joel Embiid (foot) listed out for Friday.

— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) January 9, 2025

Injuries have dominated most of the chatter surrounding the Cameroonian-born center. Last year, after his MVP season in 2023, Embiid played just 39 games after suffering a meniscus injury in January. It marked the fourth time in his career that he's played less than 52 games in a season. Embiid did return for the playoffs last season, but the New York Knicks eliminated the Sixers in the first round.

George then signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Sixers this offseason, forming a formidable 'Big 3' in Philadelphia. However, early injuries to George and Embiid have contributed to the Sixers' current 11th-place standing in the Eastern Conference.

Tip-off for Friday night's game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST.

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