Philadelphia 76ers fans will have to wait a little longer to see two of their top stars take the floor for the regular season. All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George will both miss Wednesday’s season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The team said that Embiid will not play in any games this week as he is ramping up “play activities this week, including scrimmaging.” The 76ers say the former MVP is “responding well to his individualized plan,” and will be re-evaluated this weekend. Embiid will also miss Friday’s game against the Toronto Raptors on the road.
Full update on Embiid, George and Jared McCain from the Sixers: https://t.co/Lu9zuxLmv6 pic.twitter.com/NK46FWio9l
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) October 22, 2024
Embiid only played in 39 games last season after suffering a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee and undergoing surgery. He returned in time for the playoffs, and averaged 33 points per game in the Sixers’ first-round loss to the New York Knicks.
As for George, he is “expected to ramp up on-court activities” and will be assessed later this week on when he is good to return. George suffered a left knee bone bruise during a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks last week.
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This is a disappointing start in what was a highly-anticipated 76ers season.
Philadelphia handed George a four-year, $212 million deal in hopes he would be the final piece around Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to deliver the franchise’s first championship since 1983.
There were concerns about how George would hold up since he was injury-prone in four of his five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. He only averaged 52 games a year in L.A.
For Embiid, it’s concerning he’s not yet ready to play after he was part of the gold-medal-winning Team USA in the Paris Olympics over the summer.
The team plans on monitoring the workloads for Embiid and George and they are unlikely to play in back-to-back games during the season.
The Sixers face the Bucks at home on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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