Joel Embiid is facing uncertainty as he deals with a combination of left knee injury management and right ankle soreness, leaving his availability for Wednesday's crucial matchup against the Washington Wizards in question. This news comes after several weeks of Embiid operating under a strict load management plan that included multiple days off between appearances.
In recent games, Embiid has taken on more responsibilities, playing an average of 36.5 minutes per game over the last four contests, including a season-high 40 minutes during Monday's overtime loss to Denver. This increased workload may have put him at risk for injury.
Coach Nick Nurse has expressed optimism about the return of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, both of whom were initially ruled out due to separate injuries. While Oubre sprained his left knee on November 14th, Watford suffered a left adductor strain on November 25th. The two players participated in an intense scrimmage with assistant coaches after Monday's morning shootaround, signaling that they are ready to return.
However, Embiid's condition is more concerning due to the prolonged period of rest and reduced playing time required for his knee injury management. His availability remains a concern as he prepares to face off against the Wizards, with coach Nurse stating that Embiid could play "any day" once cleared by medical staff.
In recent games, Embiid has taken on more responsibilities, playing an average of 36.5 minutes per game over the last four contests, including a season-high 40 minutes during Monday's overtime loss to Denver. This increased workload may have put him at risk for injury.
Coach Nick Nurse has expressed optimism about the return of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, both of whom were initially ruled out due to separate injuries. While Oubre sprained his left knee on November 14th, Watford suffered a left adductor strain on November 25th. The two players participated in an intense scrimmage with assistant coaches after Monday's morning shootaround, signaling that they are ready to return.
However, Embiid's condition is more concerning due to the prolonged period of rest and reduced playing time required for his knee injury management. His availability remains a concern as he prepares to face off against the Wizards, with coach Nurse stating that Embiid could play "any day" once cleared by medical staff.
! I feel bad for him, dealing with injuries on top of playing more minutes lately... hope he takes care of his knee and can get back to 100% soon 
. And yay for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford coming back, that's a big boost for the team 
! Coach Nick Nurse is always optimistic, it's awesome to see him keep faith in these players 
. Fingers crossed Embiid can get cleared by medical staff soon and be ready to take on those Wizards 
. He's been taking on more minutes and it's great to see him playing well, but his knee injury management is a whole other story 
. I mean, 36.5 minutes per game is already a lot for anyone, let alone someone with an injury 
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. They're both gonna need some minutes to get their legs under them, you know? But Embiid's situation is a bit more complicated because of his knee injury. Coach Nurse says he can play 'any day' once cleared by medical staff, but I think we should be cautious here 
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. I mean, if he's been getting only a few days off between appearances, that's already pretty light, right? But on the other hand, it sounds like his knee injury management is taking longer than expected, which could be a major problem 
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! The Wizards need those guys, but at the same time, if Embiid's knee isn't feeling right, he could end up getting hurt even worse 
Coach Nurse needs to be careful with him, you know? One minute he's good to go, the next he's out for weeks again... it's all about managing that injury right. Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford are back in the mix after just a few days of practice 
. Let's hope Joel comes back healthy soon so we can see him dominate on court again 
. I get it, he wants to be the leader on that team & prove himself but at what cost? Coach Nurse is being super optimistic about Oubre & Watford coming back but Jo's situation is more complicated because of how long he's been resting 
! Joel Embiid's knee issue has been going on for ages and it's always something 
. It's crazy how his minutes increased in the last games and he might have risked injury 
. The Wizards game is super important, so this is a big blow 
️. Coach Nick Nurse's optimism is always good to hear 
. Let's hope Embiid gets cleared ASAP so he can get back on the court and play his amazing game again 
coach nick nurse gotta be feeling like he's playing with fire over here 
at least kelly oubre jr. and trendon watford are looking good to return tho 
i hope kelly ouibre jr. and trendon watford get back on track ASAP and joel can finally take a breather 
. people always say he's got a lot of heart but sometimes that just means he's playing through pain. his load management plan sounds like a decent idea, but now he's gonna play anyway and risk further injury? 
. This is like what we see in politics - taking on too much at once and then wondering why you can't deliver 
. Was it really necessary to make him play more minutes when he was already dealing with an injury? It's like some politicians making promises they can't keep