Joel Embiid looked as good as he has all season Wednesday in Memphis but the Grizzlies made it rain from three-point land, Paul George injured his left knee, and the Sixers lost their fifth consecutive game.
Joel Embiid did not appear on the Sixers’ Thursday night injury report.
However, on Friday morning, the team downgraded him to questionable with a “left knee injury management” designation. And on Friday night, Embiid never appeared on the floor in his typical pregame warmup window, despite head coach Nick Nurse having told reporters that he’d warm up.
That series of events culminated in the Sixers ruling their All-Star center out for their matchup with the Nets at Wells Fargo Center.
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Embiid has played in just four games this season for the Sixers, who entered Friday at an NBA-worst 2-12. He’d had his best showing Wednesday in the Sixers’ loss to the Grizzlies, logging 35 minutes and posting 35 points and 11 rebounds.
Along with Embiid, the Sixers were down Paul George (left knee bone bruise) and Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) against Brooklyn.
They opted to start Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin and Guerschon Yabusele.
Maxey, who returned from a right hamstring strain in Memphis, is playing under a minutes restriction.