Joel Embiid OUT vs. Knicks, missing his third consecutive game

We didn’t learn until a few minutes before tip off Friday, but Joel Embiid is set to miss his third consecutive game. The injury designation on the last couple absences had been non-COVID illness, and that’s indeed the malady keeping the back-to-back runner-up MVP sidelined once again. Sounds like Embiid has a terrible flu or something.

Our Paul Hudrick is in attendance and reported the update, which came after Embiid went through a lengthy pregame warm up.

One has to assume that Embiid has at least some say in the matter. Maybe he didn’t feel like pushing it, once he experienced a lack of energy.

Joel, we recently learned, spent a couple months on his couch resting from a bout with plantar fasciitis over the summer. He entered the year looking a step slow. Just as it appeared he was playing himself into shape, he got hit with this bug.

We’ll wish him well. With James Harden now out for about a month or so, dealing with a right foot sprain, the Sixers suddenly find themselves very shorthanded. Hopefully Tyrese Maxey has some magic in store vs. the division rival Knicks.