76ers' Joel Embiid Listed as OUT Against OKC Thunder on Tuesday

After a reported potential return to the floor Tuesday, the Thunder will take on a Joel Embiid-less 76ers squad.

Nov 25, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shoots as / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Monday morning, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the reigning MVP and Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid could be targeting Tuesday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder for his return to the floor.

The 76ers center, averaging 35.3 points per game in 34 contests, went down with a meniscus injury on Jan. 30. He's also averaging 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game on the season. With MVP-like numbers, Embiid was in the conversation to win the award once again as he had the 76ers looking like one of the best teams in the NBA.

Since a potential return on Tuesday was reported, the NBA injury report was released, revealing Embiid is OUT for the 76ers' matchup against the Thunder. This is a huge blow for Philadelphia, as Embiid causes the Thunder trouble when the two teams square off.

The two teams played in late November when Philadelphia got the best of Oklahoma City in a four-point victory. Embiid scored 35 points and tacked on 11 rebounds and nine assists while shooting 21 shots from the foul line.

For the Thunder, 52-22 on the season and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, this game poses a big opportunity for the team to build a winning streak after a thriller in New York on Sunday.

The contest between the Thunder and 76ers is a nationally-televised game, being aired on TNT, and would have featured to MVP-caliber players in Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder recently clinched a playoff spot and are now playing for playoff seeding as they're in the thick of the No. 1 seed race, too.

Despite being listed as OUT on the injury report, both Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski are reporting that there's potential for Embiid to return on Tuesday.

With Embiid out, the Thunder has a big chance to keep stacking wins as the regular season is winding down. Gilgeous-Alexander, with a big performance and win, can also boost his MVP resume on national television.

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