Joel Embiid. Image via: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Embiid checked back in with 5:26 left in the first quarter, so he missed only a few minutes of action. Because of plantar fascia management, so the fall raised fresh concern, philadelphia had already listed him as questionable before tip-off. Because of sciatica management, leBron James sat out.
Embiid was upgraded from questionable to available on the official injury report, and the Sixers announced the former MVP was cleared to start. Joel Embiid went down hard in the first quarter of Thursday’s game against the Raptors in Philadelphia and headed to the locker room with an apparent right knee injury. The Sixers center looked to bump knees with another player while setting a screen. Trainers worked on him at courtside before he got up and limped off on his own. The scare ended quickly. He avoided a significant injury and looked to be moving well once he returned. Given the injury history, the team will probably keep a close eye on him for the rest of the night. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Dean Wade joined him in the opening five. Wade picked up his fifth start of the season. Dominick Barlow (stress reaction in lower back), Ariel Hukporti (torn Achilles) and Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain) also sat out, which left Philadelphia without its main backup big men. Wade, Jabari Walker and Tacko Fall were the likely options for center minutes, and it was unclear how long Embiid would play given the injury designation. Toronto had its own gaps. Barnes was out with a groin injury and is considered day-to-day. Leonard is still reconditioning from knee swelling and will be reevaluated next week. Trayce Jackson-Davis sat out with an illness.
He was back on the floor before the first quarter ended.