76ers All-Stars Joel Embiid, Paul George practice, still not game-ready
Fri Nov 1 3:40pm ET
Field Level Media
Joel Embiid and Paul George are not ready to play in a regular-season game but did practice and participate in a full-court scrimmage with the 76ers on Friday in what the team framed as a sign of progress.
Embiid and George are out with left knee injuries and were ruled out for the fifth consecutive regular-season game Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 76ers play at Phoenix on Monday.
The NBA fined the 76ers $100,000 for statements that didn't accurately convey the health status of the players.
Embiid's next game will be No. 434 in his career out of what will be a possible 806 games for the 76ers at the end of Saturday's game. By comparison, the player selected after former No. 3 pick Embiid in the 2014 NBA Draft, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, has played in 669 regular-season games and 52 playoff games.
"I wish I was as lucky as other ones," Embiid said Friday of his history of knee injuries and surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Feb. 6. "But that doesn't mean I'm not trying and I'm not doing whatever it takes to try to be out there, which I'm going to be here pretty soon."
Embiid, 30, speaking at the team practice facility in New Jersey after the scrimmage, made it clear he's riled up by the constant chatter about his desire to play.
"When I see people saying, 'he doesn't want to play,' I've done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk for people to be saying that," Embiid said. "I do think it's bull----.
"I've done way too much for this f------ city to be treated like this. Done way too f------ much."
The seven-time All-Star and 2022-23 MVP played for Team USA at the Paris Olympics this summer. Embiid, who did not play for two seasons because of a foot injury after he was drafted in the first round in 2014 by Philadelphia, has averaged 27.9 points with 11.2 rebounds in his career playing only for the Sixers.
Embiid said "everybody has been on the same page" regarding his upramp to return to regular-season games.
Signed as a free agent in July, George said he was cleared for contact work earlier this week. He's been recovering from a bone bruise.
"Getting that wind up. You can't really simulate that level of cardio other than playing," George said Friday. "Just being thrown in the mix again has helped kind of get my wind up, doing some sprints, going off to the side of the court doing sprints up and down. That stuff is helping me get back. That's it. That's the last box I've got to check. I'm getting there."
George, 34, averaged 22.6 points with 5.2 rebounds in 74 games for the Clippers last season. In 14 NBA seasons, he has scored 20.8 points per game with 6.3 rebounds in 867 contests (819 starts) for the Pacers (2010-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-19) and the Clippers.
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Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black will start on Friday versus the undefeated Cavaliers. With Paolo Banchero (oblique) sidelined, Black will get his chance to roll with the first five. The 20-year-old has shown signs of promise in his second year in the National Basketball Association, averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 44.4% shooting from behind the arc. Naturally, Franz Wagner (illness), Jalen Suggs, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are expected to do most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end. However, Black warrants fantasy consideration in deeper formats. He'll also draw value interest from DFS managers.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced Friday that forwardHerbert Jones(shoulder) sustained a right shoulder strain and a small low-grade partial-thickness tear in his rotator cuff. His recovery timeframe is approximately 2-4 weeks. Jones's return to play will be based on how he responds to treatment and rehabilitation. The absence of Jones should mean thatJordan Hawkins will continue to see more minutes. On Wednesday, Hawkins posted 23 points with four rebounds in 38 minutes. He will likely see an uptick in playing time against the Pacers on Friday with Jones sidelined.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (illness) will play on Friday versus the undefeated Cavaliers. The 23-year-old has been under the weather, forcing his premature exit in the Magic's previous two contests. Hopefully, he'll see his usual workload against Cleveland. If that's the case, Wagner could finish the game as Orlando's highest scorer, considering Paolo Banchero (oblique) is on the shelf.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Desmond Bane (oblique) won't play on Saturday against the 76ers. Bane suffered an oblique strain in Wednesday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets and didn't play on Thursday versus the visiting Bucks. Marcus Smart (ankle) was also sidelined for that one, opening the door for Jaylen Wells and Santi Aldama to enter the starting lineup and finish the night by combining for 35 points. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia also received more work from off the bench, with the duo combining for 27 points. As long as Smart and Bane remain on the shelf, Aldama, LaRavia, Pippen, and Wells are all worth considering for fantasy lineups. Of course, Ja Morant, who had a triple-double on Thursday, will likely continue to lead the way offensively.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (ankle) won't play on Saturday in Philadelphia. The 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year tweaked his ankle in Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets and wasn't available on Thursday versus Milwaukee. Jaylen Wells got the start, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds while shooting 50% from behind the arc. With Smart and Desmond Bane (oblique) both without a return date, Wells will have a place in most fantasy lineups as long as both remain on the shelf. The same can be said for Santi Aldama and Jake LaRavia.
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George (knee) will have to sit out at least one more game on Saturday as the team has officially ruled him out against the Memphis Grizzlies. George spoke to the media on Friday and said that the last thing to do is get his cardio back up to speed, and then he should be able to return to the floor. He and Joel Embiid (knee) both participated in scrimmages on Friday as well, so they're trending in the right direction. For now, Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, and Andre Drummond will see increased usage and are the best streaming options until they return.
Denver Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar (ankle) has been tagged as questionable for Friday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 27-year-old has only appeared in one game so far this season and has been on the court for two minutes. The Nuggets are currently 2-2 and their depth has looked worse than usual. Cancar hasn't exactly cracked the usual rotation just yet, so he's not on the fantasy radar. If he doesn't play, however, there should be some more minutes for Peyton Watson, Dario Saric, and maybe even Zeke Nnaji.
Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (shoulder) is dealing with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder and is listed as questionable for the team's Friday night contest against the Los Angeles Lakers. Walter was the 19th overall pick in this year's NBA Draft but hasn't appeared in a game yet for the Raptors. While he has the chance to play, there are better options right now until Walter has the chance to get his first game under his belt. If he's unable to suit up, Ochai Agbaji, Davion Mitchell, and Jamal Shead will all see minutes off of the bench.
Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford (hamstring) is available for Friday night's matchup against the Chicago Bulls. This will be Watford's season debut as he's been ruled out of action since early October. It should be expected that Watford will come off the bench in his return as he did almost all of last season for Brooklyn when he averaged 6.9 PPG in 13.6 minutes. Fantasy managers should temper their expectations and DFS managers can likely find better options if looking for a plug-and-play on Friday night. Jalen Wilson has been receiving the most minutes off Brooklyn's bench and his averaging 8.2 PPG and likely will be a better fantasy option on Friday, though Watford will likely eat into his minutes as the season progresses.
Toronto Raptors forward/center Kelly Olynyk (back) has been ruled out Friday for their contest against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 33-year-old has yet to suit up for the team this season and will miss at least one more. There hasn't been a firm timetable for his return to action either. Jakob Poeltl will continue to get a bulk of the minutes at center while Jonathan Mogbo and Chris Boucher see a lot of added opportunities in the front court as well. Mogbo and Boucher serve as quality streaming options in deeper leagues.
Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (knee) is listed as questionable for Friday night's matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. Smith is dealing with left knee soreness that kept him out of Chicago's most recent game against Memphis on Wednesday night. Smith has been decently effective when active, averaging 11.5 PPG in 13.7 minutes while shooting 57.1% from three. If he's unable to suit up on Friday the beneficiary of more playing time is likely to be Patrick Williams. Though already in the starting lineup, Williams should see a boost in minutes and potentially more opportunities from deep, especially if teammate Zach LaVine is also unable to suit up.
Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (back) is available for Friday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Hauser has been dealing with a back issue that's already forced him to miss three of Boston's five games so far. The 26-year-old did return to action in the Celtics' most recent game on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers. He played significantly fewer minutes against the Pacers compared to the opening night blowout against the New York Knicks, but much of that can be attributed to the game against the Pacers being much closer. Tonight's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets may provide an opportunity for Hauser to receive more minutes in garbage time if Boston, a 10.5 point favorite, blows out Charlotte. Fantasy managers may have better options to get into their starting lineup. DFS managers wanting to take a shot on a cheaper option may find more value in adding Hauser to their lineup than traditional fantasy managers.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) told reporters on Friday that he is unavailable for Philly's matchup on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The news comes after Embiid practiced fully on Friday, a potential sign that the former MVP may be close to returning to the Sixers' starting lineup. The 30-year-old's knee has not been as healthy as the team previously indicated, leading the NBA to fine the organization $100,000 for misleading comments about Embiid's health. Embiid also indicated on Friday that the level of strain experienced while playing during the Olympics does not match up to what he experiences while preparing to play for the Sixers. Fans have been questioning that aspect of his return to the court, forcing him to clarify his absence from the start of the season. While Embiid works on his recovery, expect Andre Drummond to continue to get starts at center. At 12.5 RPG it's hard to ignore his value on the boards.
Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (back) is listed as probable ahead of Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Russell continues to deal with a lower back issues, but it's not expected to keep him out of the lineup. He has been off to a slow start to the season but has the ability to be a legitimate threat because of his shooting ability. He only saw 24 minutes during Wednesday's game, so the Lakers might continue to limit him until he's fully healthy again. Gabe Vincent might see an uptick in playing time on Friday.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (shoulder) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. This marks the second game in a row that Jones will miss due to a right shoulder strain. The absence of Jones should mean that Jordan Hawkins continues getting increased looks in the rotation. He shined on Wednesday as he scored 23 points with four rebounds in 38 minutes of action. He could be worth a look as a streaming option until Jones is able to get back on the court. He should see significant playing time against the Pacers on Friday.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (knee) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It sounds like Gordon is dealing with a right knee contusion, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned. Gordon finished with a season-high 24 points, five rebounds, and two assists during Tuesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. He's off to an excellent start to the season, so hopefully he'll be good to go on Friday. If not, Peyton Watson could be in line for extended run in the rotation.
Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (knee) has been ruled out for the fourth consecutive game while he continues to go through injury management on his right knee. The veteran forward had to miss a bulk of the team's games last season due to knee issues as well. While he continues his injury maintenance, rookie Zaccharie Risacher will likely remain in the starting lineup while Garrison Mathews gets some minutes off of the bench. David Roddy has also seen more opportunities with Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring) and Dyson Daniels (hip) out as well.
Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis (hip) appeared on the injury report on Friday but he's listed as probable. The star big man should be able to suit up against the Toronto Raptors while he's listed with right hip soreness. Most of the time, Davis is listed on the injury report as a formality, so fantasy managers should expect him to play under the probable tag. If, for some reason, he's not able to play, then Jaxson Hayes and Rui Hachimura would see big minutes.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) is dealing with some knee soreness and has been listed as questionable ahead of tip-off on Friday. The starting combo guard only played five minutes in their last game and now appears on the injury report. In that game, Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, and Ben Sheppard all saw more minutes. If Nembhard isn't ready to play on Friday, the same three should see a bump in production.
Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) has received a doubtful designation heading into their Friday contest against the Los Angeles Lakers. After taking a hard fall in their opening game, Quickley hasn't been able to get back on the court yet and it looks like he'll miss at least one more game. Gradey Dick and Davion Mitchell have seen the biggest increase in opportunities so far while Jamal Shead has seen a healthy amount of minutes off of the bench. Dick has been the best value out of the streaming options though.
