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The Philadelphia 76ers will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center. It will be the first occasion in the season when the two teams will square off. 76ers will enter the game at the back of a 15-20 record on the year, which does not present a rosy picture considering they brought in Paul George in the offseason to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. A major reason why Philadelphia has struggled till now is the injury issues that have been persistent with Embiid. The star Center missed the last two games because of a sprained foot, which he injured during the Christmas Day game against the Boston Celtics.
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Joel Embiid Injury Report
The 7-time-all-star returned to practice on Thursday on a limited basis, giving hope to the fans that he will be present on the court on Friday. However, in an anticlimax, the 76ers' injury report listed the seven-foot center as out for the matchup against the Pelicans.
Injuries have considerably cut out his playtime. Last year, after the MVP season in 2023, Embiid faced a severe meniscus injury in January, which left him available for only 39 games in the rest of the season. It was the 4th time in his career that he played less than 52 games in a season. Embiid eventually returned last season, but the New York Knicks eliminated the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs.
George then signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Sixers this offseason, forming a formidable 'Big 3' in Philadelphia. However, early injuries to George and Embiid have contributed to the Sixers' current 11th-place standing in the Eastern Conference.
So, while they are plagued by injuries, can the Philadelphia 76ers still be able to find the inspiration from somewhere and get the better of the Pelicans? All to look forward to as the tip-off for Friday night's game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST.
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