Joel Embiid has played in five straight games for the Philadelphia 76ers. This includes Wednesday’s 131-110 blowout win over the Washington Wizards, as the former NBA MVP dropped 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one triple. Embiid did all that in just 25 minutes of action.
The Sixers play again on Friday. They face the Orlando Magic in a road matchup at Kia Center, marking the start of an upcoming three-game road trip. Embiid, however, has been added to the injury report again heading into Friday’s contest, casting significant doubt on his status against Orlando.
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Embiid has been limited to just 18 games this season. He has been recovering from offseason knee surgery, which has significantly affected his availability in his 12th year with the Sixers. In his 18 appearances this season, the seven-time All-Star has averaged 23.6 points on 47.2% shooting, 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks, while also knocking down 1.0 triples on a 24.3% clip.
Embiid could now be out of action again on Friday against Orlando. This is after the Sixers listed him as questionable to play on the official injury report due to left knee injury management.
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Embiid hasn’t sustained a new injury, but he could be headed for another night off as the team continues to manage his surgically repaired knee. It is worth noting, though, that Embiid was also questionable to play in the Wizards game, but he ended up getting the green light.
If Embiid sits out on Friday, his next chance to play would be on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. The Sixers face the Raptors again on Monday in the second night of a back-to-back set, which is also an important factor to consider.
Related: 76ers Announce Joel Embiid Injury Update Before Wizards Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.