Joel Embiid returns to Sixers’ lineup vs. Hawks after missing nine games
Embiid was out of the lineup with right knee injury management or soreness.
Joel Embiid is back.
The 76ers center will return to action Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This comes after the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder missed nine consecutive games because of knee injuries.
He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid’s availability comes after initially being listed as out on Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. injury report.
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The 2023 MVP was upgraded to questionable on Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. report before being cleared to play before the game.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain) will also return to action against the Hawks after missing the last three games. And center Andre Drummond (sprained right knee) was available after being injured in Friday’s 115-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined.
Before missing the last eight games due to right knee injury, he also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
Embiid has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
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The seven-time All-Star had his best game of the season in his last matchup, a 130-120 home victory against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. Embiid finished with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting, along with making 8 of 9 free throws. He also had six rebounds, four assists, and one block while logging a season-high 25 minutes, 57 seconds.