Joel Embiid Faces New Injury Concern Before 76ers–Thunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Joel Embiid is not expected to take the court for the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon.
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As the Sixers traveled to Oklahoma City to face the defending champions, Embiid was ruled out for the matchup. He is still dealing with multiple setbacks. However, one of his injury report designations is a new one.
Embiid is dealing with a right ankle sprain, according to the team’s report. In addition, he continues to monitor his knee, as he remains on an injury management plan. All year long, that has been the case for Embiid, who recently got over an illness as well.
The 76ers’ center started the 2025-22026 season off on the right track, as Embiid was available for four out of the first five games. It wasn’t until his sixth appearance that Embiid started missing consecutive games. Unfortunately, the superstar big man had a long stretch of absences throughout November.
After a nine-game absence, Embiid returned to the court for a November 30 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn’t until December 12 that Embiid played two games in a row since returning from his long absence.
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Over the past two games, Embiid continued to play over 30 minutes, signaling that the team is moving away from the restriction on his playing time. Against the Brooklyn Nets, Embiid went 8-16 from the field to score 27 points. He also had six rebounds and four assists in the disappointing 114-106 loss.
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When the Sixers paid a visit to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Embiid dropped 31 points in 32 minutes. He came down with five rebounds and produced just one assist. The Sixers failed to overcome the Bulls, who picked up a 109-102 victory over Philadelphia.
The road certainly doesn’t get easier for the Sixers on Sunday. The OKC Thunder hold the league’s best record at 26-5. While they’ve seen a bit of a slip, losing their last two games, the Sixers are in the midst of a two-game skid as well.
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Embiid’s setback doesn’t seem overly concerning, considering he finished Friday’s game out in Chicago. However, the veteran’s status moving forward will be something to keep an eye on, as his struggles with finding consistency with his availability remain a concern.