Philly Sixers big man Joel Embiid has been officially ruled out of Sunday's game against the Toronto Raptors, according to an updated injury report. Initially listed as dealing with left knee injuries, Embiid was downgraded to "left groin soreness" and will not be able to take on his role in what would have marked a six-game streak of consecutive appearances.
Evidently, the Sixers had been anticipating this outcome given their upcoming schedule against the Raptors in both Toronto and Philadelphia. With Embiid's absence now officially confirmed, it seems the team is opting to preserve him for the second leg of the back-to-back series. The concern is that this means Embiid might not be able to participate in both games due to injury management. A similar situation was experienced by Paul George last season when he had an issue with his right shoulder during a two-game road trip.
The timing couldn't have been more convenient for Toronto, who are already on the verge of facing Embiid and his dominant center play without him. As the Raptors prepare for their own back-to-back against Philadelphia's rival New York Knicks, this development could prove crucial in giving them an upper hand over their opponents.
Evidently, the Sixers had been anticipating this outcome given their upcoming schedule against the Raptors in both Toronto and Philadelphia. With Embiid's absence now officially confirmed, it seems the team is opting to preserve him for the second leg of the back-to-back series. The concern is that this means Embiid might not be able to participate in both games due to injury management. A similar situation was experienced by Paul George last season when he had an issue with his right shoulder during a two-game road trip.
The timing couldn't have been more convenient for Toronto, who are already on the verge of facing Embiid and his dominant center play without him. As the Raptors prepare for their own back-to-back against Philadelphia's rival New York Knicks, this development could prove crucial in giving them an upper hand over their opponents.
they've been struggling all season anyway...and let's be real, paul george was way worse than embiid last year 
plus think about how much more intense their rivalry with the knicks is going to get now that embiid isn't there to slow them down 
. it sounds like they're playin it safe with him though, don't wanna risk gettin worse and be out for a while 
. gotta feel bad for george too, last season was a tough time for him... hope he bounces back 2x 
. Raptors are lookin good right now tho, got an edge w/o embiid 
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So the Sixers are opting to keep Joel Embiid out of the game against the Raptors just so he can be 100% for the second leg? 
That sounds like a pretty standard move, but I'm curious... what's really going on here? 
Are they trying to gain an advantage or is this just injury management being taken to an extreme? 
And what does Paul George's last season experience tell us about Embiid's recovery timeline? 
Can we really rely on the Sixers' assertion that this is all part of a well-thought-out plan, or are they just winging it? 
hope joel embiid recovers soon 
at least the sixers are being smart about it and not rushing him back 
their back-to-back is looking like it could be a real test for philly 
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. This is perfect timing for Toronto, I love how they're gonna exploit Philly's weakness on the big man front 
. But let's be real, this might not even make a difference in the long run... I mean, have you seen the way the Raptors play defense? They can shut down Embiid with anyone, it's not like he's gonna magically score 30+ points against them 
. Still, gotta give credit to Philly for trying to protect their big fella 
. Now they gotta hope Paul George doesn't get injured too... that would be a total disaster 
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so joel embiid is out 4 sunday's game and i'm lowkey dyin lol. i was hyped to see him take on toronto in both cities but now it looks like the sixers r playin it safe and savin his body 4 the second leg of the back2back series 
...and btw, u think the raptors are happy about this lol? they get to take on their arch nems without embiid's dominant center play 
. but honestly, i think it's a good call by the sixers 2 prioritize joel's health 
. I mean, why risk injury when you've got a big game coming up against Toronto? 
so yeah, let's hope he gets back ASAP, 6th man tyrese maxwell might just have to step up his game 
or something. i can already imagine paul george having that same "i'm still good" look last season after coming back from his shoulder injury, lol. but seriously, raptors are gonna love this, they get a free pass at embiid's dominant center play... meanwhile, Knicks are getting the revenge 
️ according to espn, the sixers are 3-5 when embiid is out of the lineup. if toronto wins both games without him, they'll tie their franchise record for most consecutive wins 
btw, raptors are on a 7 game win streak and paul george is looking good after coming back from his injury last season 
. It's like a mini-preview of the team's priorities – do they want to win short-term or long-term? 
. One thing for sure, though – if you're Toronto, this is like getting a free pass to take out your frustrations on Philly!