The Philadelphia 76ers will be shorthanded again on Wednesday night hosting the New York Knicks.
After being listed as questionable throughout the day, Joel Embiid has been downgraded to out for the contest due to right knee injury management. Embiid was also sidelined for this reason on Monday when the Sixers fell to the Portland Trail Blazers to close their road trip out west.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported on social media Wednesday evening that Embiid had reported soreness in the knee after the Sixers’ win over the Suns this past Saturday. He adds that the soreness has decreased but treatments would continue through the upcoming All-Star break.
This is the first time since Dec. 19 and 20, 2025, that Embiid has missed two games in a row. He hasn’t missed a game other than to rest one leg of each back-to-back since Dec. 28 and has been playing tremendous ball in that time, averaging 30.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists across 18 games.
Before the game, head coach Nick Nurse said that he reported soreness in the right knee after their win over the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 7.
“It’s bothering him enough that he’s not playing, I think it is improving a little bit,” Nurse said, “but just not quite there enough to get out there tonight.”
Nurse also went on to say that there isn’t a ton of concern over this, but clumped Embiid in with the group of guys it will be good to have a week off with the impending All-Star break.
Quentin Grimes has also been downgraded to out for Wednesday after being listed as questionable throughout the day for illness. Dominick Barlow, however, is good to go after being listed as questionable for illness earlier alongside Grimes. Both Grimes and Barlow were sidelined for the loss to the Trail Blazers.
Another shorthanded one for the Sixers… this time against the no. 3 team in the Eastern Conference. Should be fun!
The Sixers and Knicks tip off from South Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. ET.