Embiid looks on track to play his first game of the season against the Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
November 12th seems to be a date worth circling in the Sixers world.
Instead of continuing to list Joel Embiid as out pro “Management of left knee injury”, the Sixers cited the All-Star center three-game suspension on their injury report for Wednesday night’s game against the Clippers.
That change suggests Embiid will be considered “eligible and able to play” for the Sixers’ next three contests — a condition of the NBA suspension — and therefore expected to play his first game of the season on Nov. 12 against the Knicks. at Wells. Fargo Center. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that he was “set to make his season debut” that night.
The next three games of the 1-5 Sixers are Wednesday against the Clippers, Friday against the Lakers and Sunday against the Hornets. Paul George, who debuted for the Sixers in their loss to the Sunsis listed as probable for Wednesday’s matchup with his former team. He was out with a bruised left knee.
The NBA suspended for Embiid shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes into the locker room on Saturday night after Hayes initially published a column on October 23 that mentioned both Embiid’s late brother and his young son in the opening paragraph.
The day before, Embiid spoke to reporters for the first time since training camp. Although Embiid was reluctant to call a game when he would return, he said his left knee felt “pretty good” in a recent 5-on-5 scrimmage.
“Not necessarily, because it’s unpredictable,” Embiid said Friday. “You can have good days, you can have bad days, so I think it would be kind of foolish for me to sit there and be like, ‘I’m playing Tuesday.’ … I’m still getting back, obviously, into game shape. And I’m still getting back to myself I have to feel 100 percent because I think over the years, I have done a lot and put myself at risk for the team, which I will continue to do.
“But I think now is the time to make sure that everything is cool, which is trendy like that. It’s pretty good now. Everything is trending the right way so we can go ahead and have a long season and long, great pairings.”
If Embiid does indeed play on Nov. 12 against New York, he will begin his season facing the team that eliminated the Sixers from last year’s finals.
That game happens to be the first of the Sixers in the NBA Cuptoo. They will also play the Magic, Nets and Hornets over the next month in East Group A competition.
