Joel Embiid will remain sidelined for Sixers’ game vs. Orlando Magic with sprained ankle

ORLANDO, Fla. — Joel Embiid will miss his second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle when the 76ers face the Orlando Magic Wednesday at the Kia Center.

The reigning MVP is still back in the Philadelphia area receiving treatment. His status for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center has yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, Nic Batum will also remain sidelined with a right hamstring strain. The injury has kept him out the past three games.

Embiid sprained his ankle in the first quarter of Friday’s 121-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors at the Wells Fargo Center. He remained in the game, finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. During his dominant performance, Embiid grimaced in pain and played with a noticeable limp throughout the rest of the game.

Embiid turned his ankle while landing a Raptor player’s foot on a defensive play. He ended up flipping to the court before going to the bench during a timeout.

“I think you guys saw it, and it turned on him pretty good,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of the injury. “I think that with him continuing to play on it with the amount of minutes he played on it, it gives you reason to be optimistic. But those things overnight, it is always the next day where you need to start evaluating and figuring it out.”

The six-time All-Star did not practice with teammates Saturday. At the time, coach Nurse said there was some swelling.

“But again, kind of like I said yesterday,” Nurse added, “I think he’s getting treatment. Obviously, he’s not here, but he’s on the court today moving. So I think we’re not too far away.”

The 7-foot-2, 280-pound center is averaging a league-best 35.0 points per game. He’s fifth in rebounding (11.7) and ninth in blocks (2.0). In addition, he’s averaging a career-best 6.0 assists.

The Sixers (20-9) are 0-4 in games Embiid has missed.

More to come