Sixers’ Joel Embiid to miss tonight’s game at the Pistons

BIRMINGHAM, MICH. – Joel Embiid will miss Saturday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons with a sprained right ankle.

The 76ers big man reported discomfort in his ankle following Wednesday’s season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics. The two-time All-Star didn’t practice Friday and was only able to partake in a portion of Saturday morning’s shootaround at Detroit Country Day School. Afterward, he told the team medical staff that he would be unable to play Saturday.

Power forward Al Horford will start in Embiid’s place at center versus the Pistons. Tobias Harris is expected to move from small forward to power forward. Sixers coach Brett Brown would not say who will join Horford, Harris, Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson in the starting lineup.

Embiid is slated to receive treatment on his ankle. It’s too early to determine his status for Monday night’s road game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Meanwhile, Sixers reserve power forward Mike Scott was upgraded to probable for the matchup with a sprained left ankle.

Embiid had 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks in 23 minutes against the Celtics. He did briefly leave the game after suffering a lip laceration early in the third quarter.

The Cameroonian does have an injury history.

Embiid, 25, was hampered by tendinitis in this left knee last season. He missed 14 of the final 24 regular-season games, plus Game 3 of the Sixers’ opening-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets.​

The third-overall pick of the 2014 draft missed his first two seasons due to two foot surgeries. Then he only played in 31 games during the 2016-17 season due to season-ending knee surgery. He also missed the final eight regular-season games and Game 1 and Game 2 of the opening-round playoff series against the Miami Heat during the following season after fracturing a bone in his face.