4:38 pm: Embiid and Edgecombe will both start on Sunday vs. Atlanta, the team announced (Twitter link via Neubeck). Nurse said earlier today that both players would be on a minutes restriction, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays (via Twitter).
Drummond will be active as well, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
1:05 pm: After previously being listed as out, Embiid has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s contest, per Neubeck (Twitter link).
10:00 am: Joel Embiid has been ruled out for the Sixers‘ game against the Hawks on Sunday, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
There had previously been minor optimism among the coaching staff that Embiid would be able to suit up. Asked on Saturday about the big man’s odds of playing today, head coach Nick Nurse responded, “I think there’s a chance, but I don’t know if I would put it as good, bad, or medium” (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).
When asked by Neubeck whether there were specific tests or benchmarks that Embiid needed to exceed before being cleared to return to play, Nurse didn’t provide specifics.
“I think it’s just getting through some pain and then also some on-court activity,” the Sixers’ coach said. “Kind of a combination of those things.”
Embiid has appeared in six games for Philadelphia this season and is averaging career lows in points (19.7) and rebounds (5.5) per game. He has missed the past nine games and will remain out for at least one more.
Bodner notes that while Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford remain out with a left knee sprain and left adductor sprain, respectively, VJ Edgecombe has been upgraded to questionable as he looks to return from the calf tightness that has caused him to miss the last three games. Andre Drummond is also listed as questionable with a right knee contusion.