Several Sixers have been ruled out against the Orlando Magic for Wednesday’s matchup, including stars Paul George and Joel Embiid, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
George helped lead the Sixers to their second straight win last night against the Charlotte Hornets, playing a season-high 37 minutes, scoring 29 points and dropping eight assists. George mentioned postgame that he was a little sore but felt okay and wanted to play against the Magic to help the Sixers continue to build momentum after they had gotten some wins on the board in their last two games.
Bontemps also reported that Joel Embiid, who has been out since their November 20th loss in Memphis, is expected to be out as well tonight. Embiid has been out due to swelling in his left knee. Additionally, Embiid has also missed time due to personal reasons. He is reportedly getting back on the court and starting his ramp-up process.
With both players out against the Orlando Magic (15-8), the Sixers will have to work hard to get a win against a team that has won 12 of their last 14 games. The Magic play suffocating defense, and while their offense has struggled this season, it will still likely take a herculean effort by Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain to get a win on Wednesday night.
The Sixers look to be staying with their injury management plan, even with the hole they are in at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. With the team playing their 20th game this evening, Embiid has only played in four out of 20, while George has only played in 10 out of 20. If they don’t want this season to slip away, the Sixers need their stars on the court.
