Joel Embiid didn’t play in the Philadelphia 76ers’ Monday night loss to the Chicago Bulls. Nor did he play in their Tuesday night loss to the Sacramento Kings. He probably isn’t going to play when they face the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. He also may be out when they square off with Toronto again on Saturday.
But damn it all to hell if he doesn’t suit up for the Sixers’ Christmas Day matchup against Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks.
Sources told ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Philly doesn’t expect Embiid’s back injury to keep him out through Christmas, even if he remains on the sidelines right up until the Dec. 25 affair:
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, sidelined with a sore back, could miss two more games this week but is expected to return for the Christmas Day meeting with New York, league sources told ESPN.
Despite the likelihood of resting his back for the remainder of the week, there’s optimism that Embiid will be fit to face the Knicks on Monday, league sources said.
Feel free to breathe a sigh of relief. I sure am.
Injuries suck no matter what—no matter the setback, no matter the player, no matter the game. But we’re already being deprived of seeing Stephen Curry play in the Golden State Warriors’ Christmas Day tilt with the Cleveland Cavaliers. And we know Isaiah Thomas won’t yet be donning wine and gold. Gordon Hayward is done for the year and, obviously, won’t be available for the Boston Celtics’ battle with the Washington Wizards. Chris Paul suffered another left left injury during a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night; we don’t know if he’ll be available for the Houston Rockets when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Hell, the Sixers themselves won’t be at full strength when they meet the Knicks even with Emiid. Markelle Fultz hasn’t played since Oct. 23 and isn’t expected back anytime soon. And let’s not forget Kristaps Porzingis has missed the Knicks’ past two games while Tim Hardaway Jr. has been on the shelf for a couple weeks.
Again: Screw injuries. They stink. They’re the worst. The absolute damn worst. Losing Joel Embiid in addition to everyone else already scheduled for absences would an exacerbate a crummy situation. So keep your fingers crossed that he, and everyone else on the fringes, is ready to rock by Christmas Day.
All of us have been subject to enough injuries this year to last a few seasons.
