Joel Embiid is listed as out for the Sixers' home rematch against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Embiid, who continues to be listed with the "left knee injury management" designation which has frustrated many, has been unavailable for six consecutive contests heading into Friday's game since swelling appeared in his left knee after making his first four appearances of the year during a five-game stretch.
The 2024-25 season has represented a rocky road for Embiid, the 30-year-old former NBA MVP who along with the Sixers has continued to search for answers in a quest to achieve some semblance of stability with his left knee.
First, Embiid was not scrimmaging in training camp for precautionary reasons. Then, he missed the entire preseason for precautionary reasons. Suddenly, the regular season had started and Embiid was still standing on the bench in street clothes. Embiid missed the first six games of the year due to "left knee injury management," a designation which the Sixers maintained indicated no new injury or setback.
Embiid was suspended for three games for a physical altercation with The Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, and following missing the first nine games of the year, made his season debut. Embiid looked subpar in his first three games, then posted 35 points in a road loss on Nov. 20.
The swelling appeared following that game, and he has not played since.
Additionally, rookie center Adem Bona is listed as out with a left knee contusion, while veteran big Andre Drummond is now questionable with a right ankle sprain after missing three games.
Paul George, who was held out of Wednesday night's loss to the Magic on the second leg of a back-to-back, was not listed on the injury report.
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