Why isn’t Joel Embiid playing against the Celtics? 76ers coach gives injury update

The Philadelphia 76ers are hosting the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night but they will be without a key player due to injury.

Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse has confirmed that Joel Embiid has been ruled out with right knee soreness, with “no expectations” on the length of his absence.

Ahead of the game Nurse said: “He just reported a little soreness in his right knee. He’s had some imaging on that this afternoon, and the doctors are here tonight to go over that with him.”

The 76ers took Embiid with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and he developed into one of the league’s best players with the team. A seven-time NBA All-Star, Embiid was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2023 and he has twice led the league for scoring.

But in recent years Embiid’s fitness has been an issue, notably playing only 19 games through the 2024/25 season due to an ongoing left knee issue. He has returned this year to average 19.7 points in 23.3 minutes per game but continues to be struggling with injuries.

It’s not yet known if Embiid’s injury is related to previous knee complaints but the 31-year-old appears to be feeling the effects of more than a decade in the professional game.

The 76ers are also without Paul George, who underwent knee surgery in the offseason and is yet to feature for the team. Nurse did have a positive update on George’s condition, revealing that team doctors will be meeting with him on Tuesday night to evaluate his progress.

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