Sixers’ Joel Embiid will start against Miami Heat after being listed as doubtful with illness
Embiid, who has played in only two games this season, was previously listed as questionable and downgraded to doubtful after missing shootaround.
MIAMI — Joel Embiid will be in the starting lineup for the 76ers’ game against the Heat Monday night, after being listed as doubtful earlier in the day and missing the team’s morning shootaround at the Kaseya Center.
The superstar big man’s surprising availability comes after he entered Monday listed as questionable to play, then was downgraded to doubtful after missing the team’s morning shootaround. As a result, the Sixers recalled rookie center Adem Bona from the Delaware Blue Coats, less than one day after he had been assigned to the G League club. But Embiid was swiftly upgraded after going through a pregame warm-up about 45 minutes before tipoff.
Embiid has played in only two games so far this season because of an ongoing knee issue following February meniscus surgery, along with a three-game suspension for shoving Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes during a Nov. 2 postgame locker-room altercation.
Before Embiid was listed as questionable on Sunday evening’s injury report, coach Nick Nurse said Embiid had been a full participant in that day’s practice and was expected to play in the “ballpark” of 33 minutes against the Heat.
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Embiid, the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player and a seven-time All-Star, totaled 20 points on 5-of-15 shooting with eight rebounds, and six turnovers Friday in a loss to the Magic.
The Sixers have been plagued by multiple health issues during this dreadful 2-10 start to the season. All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey will miss his sixth consecutive game with a right hamstring strain on Monday, but he has returned to on-court activities and is scheduled to be reevaluated on Tuesday, Nurse said. Perennial All-Star wing Paul George, the Sixers’ splashy free-agency addition, has also missed six games after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee during the preseason. The Sixers have not yet played a game with all three stars on the floor together.
Sickness has been going around the Sixers’ locker room. Backup center Andre Drummond missed last Wednesday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and was limited to four first-half minutes Friday. Veteran wing Kelly Oubre Jr. also said after that game that he had been dealing with illness for about a week and a half.
The Sixers will finish this three-game road trip Wednesday against the Grizzlies in Memphis.