The Sixers will have no All-Stars available for the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center vs. the Cavs.
Joel Embiid and Paul George have both been ruled out with a “left knee injury management” designation. Tyrese Maxey is out because of a right hamstring strain.
Embiid made his season debut Tuesday, posting 13 points and five assists over 26 minutes in a loss to the Knicks. He said postgame that he’d be “pushing” to play against Cleveland but would ultimately trust and defer to the Sixers’ medical staff.
“I want to,” Embiid said. “That’s up to them. I know (before the season) I said I would never play back-to-backs, but I’m a troll. So I’m sure at some point I’ll play. But I feel good. I feel good right now … we’re going to see, but it’s up to them.”
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Embiid, who had left meniscus surgery in February, was sidelined for the start of this season and “managing” his knee. He then served a three-game suspension for shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes in the locker room.
Both Embiid and George will presumably next be in action Friday night when the Sixers visit the Magic.
“I felt good (physically),” Embiid said. “It’s all about confidence and trusting myself. … I expected it. I talked about it a couple weeks ago to you guys. That’s the mental part that I’ve got to get to. But I think I can still be pretty good even without that, which I’m going to get to at some point. I don’t know when. It might be next game, it might be two games. I usually get it back pretty fast, so I’m fine.”
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George has played five games since returning from a left knee bone bruise he suffered during the preseason. Tuesday’s performance was his best yet with the Sixers — 29 points (7 for 11 from three-point range), 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals.
The Sixers have not completely removed the minutes restriction on George. His minutes high so far is 33.
“It’s been a steady progression,” he told reporters postgame of his conditioning. “I feel like it’s getting better and better. I feel like I’m still trying to work through it a little bit, but I’m going longer stints of being able to run without tiring out so fast.
“So I’m just trying to challenge myself, running and being as active as possible on both ends, just so I can build that out and be where I want to be toward the middle of the season. It’s an ongoing process, but I’m gaining strides in that aspect.”
After facing 12-0 Cleveland, the 2-8 Sixers have 14 back-to-backs left. Their next one comes on Dec. 3 against the Hornets and Dec. 4 vs. the Magic.
