January 11, 2025
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What is Joel Embiid's status for the Sixers' road contest against the Orlando Magic on Sunday evening?
Joel Embiid is questionable for the Sixers' road game against the Orlando Magic on Sunday with a left foot sprain, according to the team's initial injury report for the game released on Saturday afternoon.
In addition, Andre Drummond (left toe sprain) and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) remain out.
Embiid, who suffered the left foot sprain near the end of the Sixers' Christmas Day victory in Boston, played in three of the Sixers' first four games after it occurred. In his lone missed game during that stretch, Embiid was merely listed as resting on the front end of a back-to-back.
But Embiid has missed all three of the team's games this week due to the foot sprain, which Sixers head coach Nick Nurse admitted before Friday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans had been "aggravated" before asserting that Embiid remained day-to-day and that there was optimism that he had a chance of returning to action in Orlando on Sunday after Embiid participated in the team's Thursday morning practice.
Drummond suffered his left toe sprain on Dec. 23, and missed three straight games because of it. He returned and played in two of the team's next three games, but appeared to aggravate that injury, as he, too, missed all three of the team's games in Philadelphia during the week.
Lowry's right hip issue, which has bothered him dating back to November, has lingered for much longer than the team anticipated. Nurse said on Friday that there is not yet a specific timeline on a return for the 38-year-old floor general, but while Lowry is not definitively out for another week or multiple weeks, he is not yet in the day-to-day range.
"The treatments and stuff are getting a little more aggressive to treat it," Nurse said.
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Paul George, who missed the Sixers' win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night due to left groin tightness, returned to action on Friday after being listed as probable with the same designation. George is not currently listed on the injury report for Sunday's game.
KJ Martin remains out and without a timetable for a return due to the stress reaction in his right foot, while rookie guard Jared McCain was officially ruled out for the remainder of the season on Thursday. Nurse said earlier in the week that Martin is no longer in a walking boot, but has yet to resume on-court activities.
Meanwhile, the Magic -- another team that has been devastated by injuries during the season, but one that has responded to its adversity much more positively than the Sixers to date -- recently welcomed back All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, who made his return on Friday night from a serious oblique injury which cost him multiple months of games. The Magic are still without fellow star wing Franz Wagner, who also suffered a significant oblique injury.
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