The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Orlando Magic on Friday in the penultimate game of their regular season schedule. The 76ers have been in incredible form following the return of their superstar Joel Embiid and are aiming for their seventh straight win, which could see them lock two home games in the play-in tournament, provided the Miami Heat lose to the Toronto Raptors. However, Philadelphia could have to take care of business against the Magic without the reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who’s on the team’s injury report for the game against Orlando.
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The 76ers’ superstar center’s status for the game tonight at Wells Fargo Center has been listed as ‘questionable’, per the Sixers’ injury report. The listing is due to his recovery from the hurt lateral meniscus in his left knee that forced his mid-season hiatus. Embiid’s knee issue has been a major concern for the team and it almost came to the fore in their win over the Detroit Pistons. While chasing a loose ball, the center hit the floor holding his leg, causing panic in the Philadelphia camp.
However, Embiid recovered quickly and finished the game, but is back on the team’s injury report. The 76ers would like to exercise caution with their superstar’s health, but their precarious position in the standings could leave them with no choice but to field him against Orlando. With the Heat hot on their tail, a slip-up could see Miami usurp them in the standings ahead of their final game of the regular season. Embiid will likely suit up and play on Friday against the Magic.
76ers’ record without Joel Embiid
The 76ers are the seventh seed in the East, but they would’ve been much higher in the standings had Embiid not missed over half the season. In the 38 games with their superstar center on the court, Philadelphia is an incredible 30-8. The 76ers are an exceptional team when Embiid is fit.
Without their franchise cornerstone, Philadelphia is a mediocre team. They’ve won 15 and lost 27 games when Embiid hasn’t played this season. Only four teams in the Eastern Conference have a lower winning percentage than the 76ers’ 35.7% without the reigning MVP. The numbers outline Philadelphia’s over-reliance on Embiid. They are a contender when he’s on the court, but are among the bottom five teams in the Eastern Conference without him.
Embiid is expected to undergo surgery in the offseason to fix the knee injury that forced him to miss 29 games on the trot. However, he’s soldiering on to help his team make it as far as they possibly can this season, even at the expense of his health at times.
