Joel Embiid is set to miss the next four games for the Philadelphia 76ers as he continues to recover from his knee injury.
Embiid has only played in one game since Jan. 20 and missed Philly’s last 11 games leading up to the All-Star break because of his left knee. His timetable for a return was unknown, but reporters covering the team said Thursday that the Philly big man was recommended to miss the next four games and will do so.
Embiid did full practice. Team doctors recommend he misses next 4 games. Don't think he's game ready but encouraged by progress, per Sixers.
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoCSN) February 23, 2017
Sixers doctors want to minimize risk of Embiid aggravating knee again so they are keeping him out next four games. Target return March 3.
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoCSN) February 23, 2017
Embiid went through a full practice as CSN’s Jessica Camerato noted. But he did say he experienced some swelling in his knee Thursday.
“There was no swelling yesterday and then this morning when I came in there was a little bit. Got to manage that. I have to be asymptomatic before I can play,” Embiid said at practice Thursday via Tom Moore.
The Sixers are now targeting March 3 as Embiid’s return date.
The Sixers are 21-35, which is 5.5 games out of the last playoff spot in the East. They have shaken up their team with trades of Ersan Ilyasova and Nerlens Noel within the past 24 hours.
