Sixers’ Joel Embiid returns to practice, expected to play Wednesday against Miami Heat

Joel Embiid was working up a good sweat after 76ers practice while perfecting his post moves. That all signaled that Embiid is ready to rejoin the lineup when the Sixers host the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Embiid missed Sunday’s 109-89 loss at Brooklyn with an upper respiratory illness.

The Sixers had Monday off and returned to practice on Tuesday. A Sixers spokesperson said Embiid is expected to be available against the Heat.

“It was good,” Embiid said about returning to practice. “I feel OK. Hopefully tomorrow I keep getting better, but it was good today. I got some sweat in, being with the guys.”

Embiid has appeared in 22 of the 28 games for the Sixers (20-8). He is averaging 22.8 points and 12.3 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game.

Starting guard Josh Richardson has played four games since missing the previous six with right hamstring tightness. According to Richardson, he hasn’t had problems with the hamstring, but another situation cropped up.

“My hamstring feels good, but I hurt my (right) wrist a bit in Boston,” he said about Thursday’s 115-109 win over the Celtics. “It has been kind of tough shooting but hopefully it is getting better.”

Richardson hurt it at the end of the game. In the two games, since, he has averaged 9.5 points while going 0 for 5 from three-point range.

Richardson said he will be ready to go against his ex-Heat teammates on Wednesday.

A Sixers spokesman said that swingman Furkan Korkmaz went through an individualized plan on Tuesday because he was dealing with right knee soreness. Korkmaz, who is averaging 8.0 points, is expected to be available Wednesday.

Ben Simmons, as part of an individualized plan, went through an individualized workout and portions of practice and is expected to be available Wednesday, according to the team.

The might have been due to a heavy minutes load. Simmons is averaging 34.3 minutes and has averaged 35.8 minutes in the last five games.