Ahead of their New Year’s Day matchup against the Kings in Sacramento, the Sixers announced that star Joel Embiid would miss the game due to rest. The Sixers appear to be preserving their star in the first matchup of a back-to-back for the seemingly more difficult and nationally televised matchup against the Golden State Warriors the following day.
The announcement came via a 5:30 p.m. injury report the team submitted that also mentioned the status of several other Sixers, including Jared McCain and KJ Martin, who will miss the game like Embiid, and Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, and Eric Gordon, who are questionable for now, with the final decision to be made between now and tomorrow’s matchup.
Currently riding a four-game winning streak, the Sixers are still hopeful that they can pull out a win against a Kings team whose only wins in their last 10 games came against the lowly Jazz and Pelicans, a Spurs team without star Victor Wembanyama, and a Mavericks team without Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Derrick Lively II, and Naji Marshall.
Sacramento controversially parted ways with head coach Mike Brown back on Friday, Dec. 27.
Dallas was missing most of its rotation but was still able to hold on for three quarters against the Kings. Between Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and the bevy of role players who have uplifted the Sixers as of late, Philadelphia appears confident in its chances. This matters as the team cannot afford many if any, scheduled losses after the slow start of the year.
The news is unfortunate for any Sixers or basketball fans who want to see Embiid in this matchup, especially in person. Regardless, the Sixers and Embiid have made it perfectly clear this season that they will do whatever it takes to maintain his health ahead of the postseason. Between the confidence in this game and the fact that the second will be a nationally televised game, this decision is far from shocking.
The next question will be if Paul George plays in the second night of the back-to-back as he appears set to star in the first.
