Joel Embiid out again as injury report stays crowded vs. Knicks

Joel Embiid will miss his fifth straight game with a foot sprain as the Sixers’ injury report is full yet again ahead of a matchup vs. the Knicks.

The Sixers have released the injury report for the second leg of their back-to-back against the New York Knicks, and in it have ruled out Joel Embiid for the night due to a left foot sprain. This will be the sixth straight game he’s missed due to that injury.

Despite the fact that it’s now been over 10 days since he last took the court, the Sixers continue to insist that he is day-to-day, and that this injury is nothing major. Embiid suffered the sprain late in the Christmas Day bout with the Boston Celtics, but went on to play four games on it during the same road trip. Head coach Nick Nurse has said multiple times that he is not too worried about the issue and that Embiid’s left knee is also doing well.

The rest of the Big 3 comes into the game uncertain as well. Tyrese Maxey is questionable with a left hand sprain he suffered in Orlando, and Paul George is questionable as well with right ankle soreness.

Neither suited up for the first leg of the back-to-back against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but that’s just another reason Embiid missing the Knicks game is troubling. They essentially punted the first game just to have any hope of snatching the second one.

It’s not just the stars though, they’ll continue to be thin on the bench as well. Despite the team upgrading him to day-to-day, Andre Drummond remains out with a toe sprain. Kyle Lowry is out with a right hip sprain. Those two will now miss six games in a row as well.

There are some notables on the report for New York as well. Jalen Brunson is listed as probable with right hand soreness and Karl Anthony-Towns is questionable with a right thumb sprain. No group has played more minutes together so far than the Knicks’ starting five.