Sixers’ Joel Embiid cleared to play after being listed as questionable with back soreness for 2nd straight game
He was cleared prior to the start of Wednesday’s win over the Cavs and had 35 points and 17 rebounds.
Joel Embiid was back on the injury report. And just like Wednesday night, he was cleared to play right before the game.
The 76ers center is listed as questionable with back soreness for Friday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. This marks the second consecutive game Embiid has been listed as questionable with the ailment. However, he was cleared prior to the start of Wednesday’s 118-114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and posted game highs of 35 points and 17 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Dallas’ Reggie Bullock (personal reasons), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) and Theo Pinson (fractured right fifth finger) will miss the game. Marquese Chriss (right knee soreness) is probable.
» READ MORE: Joel Embiid needs to rest during the stretch run — but the Sixers can’t survive without him
After Friday’s game, the Sixers have key back-to-back home games against the Toronto Raptors (Sunday) and the Miami Heat (Monday).
Embiid, who participated in Friday morning’s shootaround, is in desperate need of some rest due to carrying the Sixers all season. And while he needs to be fresh for the playoffs, his squad needs him on the court as much as possible during this key stretch.
At 42-26, they’re in third place in the Eastern Conference standings and three games behind the first-place Heat (46-24). But the Sixers are also just a 1½ games ahead of the fifth-place Chicago Bulls.
In the Mavs (43-26), they’ll face the Western Conference’s fifth-place squad that’s has won three straight and seven of their last eight games. Dallas MVP candidate Luka Dončić is fourth in the league in scoring at 28.2 points per game and fifth in assists at 8.6.
The point guard has averaged 23.4 points, 7.8 assists and 7.4 rebounds in five career games versus the Sixers.
Embiid is averaging a league-best 29.9 points and ranks eighth in rebounds (11.42) and 10th in blocks (1.37).
He had 27 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and three blocks in the Sixers’ 107-98 loss to the Mavs on Feb. 4. Embiid has averaged 27.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks in six career games against Dallas.