The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be without some star power in their starting lineup against the Toronto Raptors, as both Joel Embiid and Paul George will be sidelined for tonight’s matchup.
Embiid is currently listed as doubtful as he continues to deal with soreness in his right knee. The big man has an elongated history of lower-leg injuries, limiting his time on the court to fewer and fewer games over the past few seasons. He recently underwent an MRI which, luckily, showed no signs of structural damage. The 76ers are simply ruling it as soreness.
Embiid hasn’t stepped on the court since November 8th in the team’s 130-120 win against the Raptors, where he recorded 29 points and six rebounds on 62.5% shooting in 26 minutes. As for when fans should expect to see him next, that still remains a mystery.
Why isn’t Paul George playing tonight?
Paul George has been ruled OUT with left knee injury recovery, otherwise known as load management. After remaining sidelined since the beginning of the season, George made his on-court debut on November 17th against the Los Angeles Clippers, recording nine points and seven rebounds on 22.2% shooting in 21 minutes.
The 76ers are taking an extremely cautious approach with George, as rushing to get him playing every single game is at the bottom of their priority list. George did have a full day of rest to recover, but Philadelphia wants to ease him into a more rigorous routine.
The injury bug might have bitten the 76ers the hardest this season, affecting both superstars as well as sophomore guard Jared McCain. Philadelphia is also missing Kelly Oubre Jr., who continues to deal with a sprain in his left knee.
Thus far, the team has been primarily led by Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 41 points in 39 minutes against Los Angeles. Quentin Grimes has trailed behind Maxey, averaging 16.8 points, while rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe is putting up a modest 15.5 per night.
Although it’s unclear when Philadelphia will be 100% healthy, the hope is that Embiid and George will be ready to suit up for the team’s game on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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