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Joel Embiid is in the middle of another dominant season, and he has the Philadelphia 76ers riding high in third place in the Eastern Conference.
However, he recently came down with a knee ailment that forced him to sit out Saturday’s 120-109 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Per Shams Charania, Embiid will not play on Wednesday when the 76ers visit the Atlanta Hawks.
76ers star Joel Embiid is out for Wednesday’s game vs. Hawks in Atlanta due to left knee swelling. He missed Saturday’s game and the last two days of practice with the issue.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2024
So far this season, Embiid is putting up 34.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 blocked shots a game, and statistically, he is playing even better than he did last year when he won his first regular-season MVP award.
Philly has surprised some people by getting out to a 23-12 record, and obviously, he is the biggest reason why.
However, Embiid does have a history of knee problems, and everyone in the Delaware Valley region holds their breath whenever he falls to the ground during a game or has any discomfort in his knees.
Without him, the Sixers will presumably start Paul Reed at the 5, and while he has proven himself to be a somewhat capable backup center, having him in the middle just isn’t the same.
Overall, although they’re playing well, the general consensus is that they need one more piece in order to seriously challenge the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks for Eastern Conference supremacy.
Guard Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a legitimate star by averaging 25.9 points and 6.6 assists a game, but their bench could use more firepower, even though they’re sixth in the league in scoring at 119.5 points a game.
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