Nov. 12 appears to be a date worth circling in Sixers world.
Instead of continuing to list Joel Embiid as out because of “left knee injury management,” the Sixers cited the All-Star center’s three-game suspension in 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 stipulation of the NBA’s suspension — and therefore expected to play his first game of the season on Nov. 12 vs. the Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that he is “set to make his season debut” that night.
The 1-5 Sixers' next three games are Wednesday against the Clippers, Friday against the Lakers and Sunday vs. the Hornets. Paul George, who debuted for the Sixers in their loss to the Suns, is listed as probable for Wednesday's matchup with his former team. He'd been out because of a left knee bone bruise.
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The NBA suspended Embiid for shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes on Saturday night in the locker room after Hayes initially published a column on Oct. 23 that mentioned both Embiid’s late brother and his young son in the opening paragraph.
The day prior, Embiid spoke to reporters for the first time since training camp. Though Embiid was not inclined then to name a game when he’d return, he said his left knee had felt “pretty good” in recent 5-on-5 scrimmaging.
“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 on Tuesday.’ … I’m still getting back, obviously, into game shape. And I’m still getting back to myself. I need to feel 100 percent because I think over the years, I’ve done a lot and put myself at risk for the team, which I’m going to continue to do.
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“But I think right now is the time to make sure everything is great, which it’s trending that way. It’s pretty good right now. Everything’s trending the right way so we can go on and have a long season and long, great couple years.”
If Embiid indeed plays on Nov. 12 vs. New York, he’ll start his season by facing the team that eliminated the Sixers from last year’s playoffs.
That game happens to be the Sixers’ first in the NBA Cup, too. They’ll also play the Magic, Nets and Hornets over the next month in East Group A competition.
