Sixers injury update: Joel Embiid out for scrimmage vs. Thunder with right calf tightness
Joel Embiid’s first competitive action since March did not go as planned.
The three-time All-Star is out for Sunday’s scrimmage vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder with right calf tightness. Embiid began experiencing discomfort in his calf during Friday’s scrimmage against the Grizzlies, a source told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Paul Hudrick. He is considered day-to-day and will be re-evaluated on Monday.
In the scrimmage against Memphis, Embiid played 12:57 and had 10 points on 3 of 10 shooting and six rebounds. He was the only starter not to appear in the second half.
“I believe that we’re just getting out in front of stuff and being smart with it,” Brett Brown said before Sunday’s scrimmage.
The Sixers won’t be able to work on the Embiid-Al Horford pairing, which played a little under four first-half minutes Friday. Embiid also won’t get to further develop his “big-big” chemistry with new starting power forward Ben Simmons, something Brown has been impressed by during the team’s practices.
However, the Sixers will perhaps have a chance to experiment with Horford in some different lineups. The 34-year-old had five points and five assists in 19 minutes against Memphis and will start alongside Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris and Simmons.
“It’s the second (scrimmage),” Brown said. “I feel like it’s an opportunity, truly … to play Al more, to put him with some different groups. … Initially, just trying to be smart with everything and move on.”
The Sixers’ final scrimmage is Tuesday vs. the Mavericks, and their first of eight seeding games is Saturday night against the Pacers.
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