The Philadelphia 76ers will be without Joel Embiid on Thursday night after the former MVP reported soreness in his right shin during the All-Star break.
NBA insider Michael Scotto reported Wednesday that the center experienced the issue while participating in a right knee injury management program, according to the team. He will be out against the Atlanta Hawks and will be re-evaluated ahead of Philadelphia’s back-to-back set this weekend.
The update adds another layer to the big man’s health management this season. The 31-year-old has appeared in 31 games, all starts, while averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.4 minutes per game.
He is shooting 49.4% from the field and 85.8% from the free-throw line. His 18.2 field-goal attempts per contest rank second on the roster behind Tyrese Maxey.
Without their franchise center, the Sixers may lean more heavily on Maxey, who is averaging 28.9 points and 6.8 assists across 52 starts. The 25-year-old guard is logging 38.6 minutes per night, which leads the team, and carries a 46.9% shooting mark from the floor.
Frontcourt depth will also be tested. Andre Drummond is averaging 8.6 rebounds in 19.8 minutes, while Dominick Barlow is contributing 8.5 points and 5.0 boards in 24.0 minutes per game.
Philadelphia enters the matchup at 30-24, which places the club sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. The group sits 10.5 games behind the conference-leading Detroit Pistons and holds a narrow cushion in the play-in race.
The Hawks, meanwhile, are 26-30 and currently 10th in the East. That positioning makes Thursday’s contest significant for both teams in the middle of the standings.
