Philadelphia 76ers Star Listed Out vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Former MVP Joel Embiid will miss his fifth-straight game due to injury, giving the Oklahoma City Thunder a clear advantage in Tuesday's matchup.

Jan 4, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks back during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In the Oklahoma City Thunder's first matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers of the 2024-25 regular season, it is getting quite the upper hand even before the matchup begins Tuesday night.

Former MVP winner and superstar center Joel Embiid has been listed out of the game, making it the fifth straight he will miss since suffering a left foot sprain against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. It's been a season riddled with injuries for Embiid — a major reason why the 76ers are sitting at a disappointing 15-22 record and the No. 11 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Tyrese Maxey is nearly matching a career-high with 25.8 points per game, and Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a highly consistent role player, but other injuries and inconsistencies have plagued Philadelphia. Paul George has been underwhelming as the expected third piece of its "big three", and rookie standout Jared McCain will miss the remainder of the year with a torn meniscus.

The top-seeded Thunder already had the clear advantage in the matchup, but Embiid being unavailable makes it even larger. The No. 1 team in the Western Conference and NBA Finals favorite should have no issues claiming its 33rd win of the season.

Oklahoma City is 9-1 in its last 10 games, only losing to the top team on the other side of the NBA: the Cleveland Cavaliers. Compare that to a 5-5 record for the 76ers, it's obvious what team is finding more success as of late.

Andre Drummond is also out for Philadelphia, so Isaiah Hartenstein should find no issues holding up his end on the glass and putting up shots in the paint. Not having Chet Holmgren could've been more of a concern if Embiid was suiting up, but without him, there isn't a notable disadvantage in the frontcourt.

Surprises are more than common to occur in the NBA, but the Thunder are in a position to get another large marge of victory after it defeated the Washington Wizards by 41 points on Sunday.

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