Sixers' Joel Embiid cleared to play for Monday night vs. Utah Jazz

Joel Embiid was cleared to play in Monday night's game against the Utah Jazz. He was initially listed as questionable because of soreness and tightness in his left knee. However, Embiid was cleared after being evaluated following his pregame workout.

Him playing doesn't come as a surprise based on what Embiid said earlier in the day.

"I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "My whole body is a little bit sore. But I think I should be playing tonight."

Embiid did not participate in Monday morning's shootaround. However, he did attempt long-range shots off balance after.

"The decision is on me," Embiid said of playing at the time. "I'm just going to go out there in warmups, see how I feel, see how my body feels. If I feel good, I'm playing. It's not on them [Sixers]. It's more on me."

The all-star candidate said his fall in Saturday's loss to the Golden State Warriors contributed "maybe just a little bit" to his game status. He landed on both his knees during the play and experienced some pain. But he said the pain "is nothing to be worried about."

Embiid had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in March and has been experiencing some soreness in the knee this season. The 7-foot-2, 283-pounder has already missed two games this season to rest the knee.

Being listed as questionable earlier Monday had nothing to do with rest. Embiid said the plan was for him to be "set free, basically" from a minutes restriction after the Warriors game. However, he's still not cleared to play in games on consecutive nights.

"I expect at some point this season to be playing back-to-backs," Embiid said. "So we just got to follow the plan and see how my body reacts."

Embiid sat out the Sixers' 128-94 loss at Toronto on Oct. 21. It was their second game on consecutive nights. Then he missed the Nov. 7 matchup at Utah to rest his knee.

Embiid's backup, Richaun Holmes, who was also questionable for the Jazz game, will play.  He had gastroenteritis.