The 76ers are finally getting healthy, but will they have their two stars in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey at their disposal against the Grizzlies?
The Philadelphia 76ers have labored through the second half of the 2023-24 campaign due to a bevy of injuries, but they have finally gotten healthy with the playoffs right around the corner. However, they may not have their full complement of players on the court when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, as their top two stars in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are still dealing with lingering injury concerns.
Embiid suffered a meniscus injury back at the beginning of February, and only recently returned to the court for Philly as April gets underway. Keeping him healthy for the postseason is crucial, so the Sixers aren’t going to overdo it when it comes to playing him as the regular season winds down, and the same can be said about Maxey, even though his injury concern isn’t as big as Embiid’s.
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey injury statuses vs. Grizzlies
Both Embiid and Maxey are questionable for this game, as Embiid is still recovering from his meniscus surgery, while Maxey has tightness in his left hip. The Grizzlies are one of the worst teams in the league, but the Sixers are going to want at least one of these guys on the floor if they want to avoid potentially getting upset in a game they need to win as they try to move up the Eastern Conference standings.
When he’s been on the floor this season, Embiid has been the best player in the NBA (34.8 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.6 APG, 52.8 FG%), and he’s picked up right where he’s left off in his return to action. The Sixers may opt to play it safe and hold him out of this game considering it’s against the Grizzlies, but if he’s feeling good enough to go, it wouldn’t hurt to give him some more time on the floor as he works to get back into basketball shape.
With Embiid missing a big portion of the year, Maxey has been tasked with shouldering much of the burden in his absence, and he’s generally managed to hold his own (25.8 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 44.8 FG%), even with opposing defenses keying in on him. Again, missing a game against the lowly Grizzlies wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but you would rather see him play than sit the game out.
The hope is that the duo of Embiid and Maxey will lead the 76ers on a deep playoff run this season, and when they’ve been healthy, Philly has looked like one of the most dangerous teams in a relatively weak Eastern Conference. Getting them the most run time on the court together as possible ahead of the playoffs is crucial, but for right now, both guys are question marks to suit up against Memphis.
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