Philadelphia 76ers Injury Report (Nov 17): Latest update on Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nicolas Batum’s status
The Philadelphia 76ers (8-3) will play the Atlanta Hawks (6-5) on Friday, Nov. 17. During their loss to the Boston Celtics, the Sixers were without Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nicolas Batum. Both players were missed within the rotation, and the Sixers struggled to space the floor around Joel Embiid.
At the time of writing, Oubre Jr. and Batum are listed as out on the injury report. Embiid is questionable due to left hip soreness. He struggled to reach his lofty performance levels during the contest against Boston, so Nick Nurse may choose to rest his star player against the Hawks.
Embiid is the reigning MVP. He has also been incredibly impactful to begin the new season. In 11 games, the All-Star center is averaging 31.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, shooting 50.4% from the field and 30.8% from deep. Philadelphia needs that type of production from their star player if they want to remain among the Eastern Conference leaders.
The Atlanta Hawks have struggled for consistency. They're still struggling to balance offense and defense, an issue that has blighted them over the past four or five years.
As such, if Embiid is cleared to play, he could have a significant impact against a Hawks team that currently ranks 21st in the NBA.
The Philadelphia 76ers will be playing their third in-season tournament game
When the Philadelphia 76ers face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, they will participate in their third in-season tournament game. Nick Nurse's team currently sits third in the East Group A, having won and lost one.
In order to qualify for the next phase of the tournament, the Sixers will need to finish at the top of their group. Otherwise, they will need to amass one of the best records for second-placed teams to give themselves a chance of being selected as a wildcard.
The winners of the in-season tournament will receive a monetary prize of $500k per play. It will certainly the pave way for the teams to take the games seriously and put forth their best effort. So far, the new format is having the desired effect, and we're witnessing competitive games in November.
Joel Embiid has been honest about his desire to compete for trophies. His aim is clearly to win a championship. Still, if he's not at his best and is dealing with an injury, it does make more sense to rest him now rather than letting any issue begin to worsen.