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The Philadelphia 76ers listed Joel Embiid as questionable and ruled out LeBron James for Thursday’s home game against the Toronto Raptors, with three other Sixers sidelined.
The team’s injury report cited right foot plantar fascia injury management for Embiid and low back/sciatica management for James. Embiid said he had “no idea” whether he would play.
“We'll see what they have to say and then we'll go from there,” Embiid said of the team’s medical staff.
Despite his absence from the game, James stayed on the court shooting free throws after the Sixers’ shootaround, among the last players there. For Philadelphia this season, he has averaged 15.1 points per game, along with 6.5 assists.
Philadelphia also ruled out Adem Bona because of a cervical spine sprain and Dominick Barlow because of a low back stress reaction. Ariel Hukporti was out with a right Achilles tendon rupture/tear.
The frontcourt would be shorthanded if Embiid cannot play, ESPN reported. Philadelphia went 1-1 in the two games Embiid has missed this season for foot injury management.
Embiid’s 17.7 points per game and 12.1% shooting from 3-point range would both mark career lows.
“I just haven't been aggressive. So I think it's on me to just be aggressive about making plays, whether it's making plays for someone else,” Embiid said Thursday.
Embiid has made 37% of his shots from the floor, according to a Field Level Media preview published by CBS Sports. Embiid said in the preview that he was “probably overthinking it.”
Philadelphia brought a 9-3 record into the game. The Sixers opened 8-1, but have dropped two of their last three.
The Boston Celtics beat Philadelphia 123-101 on the Sixers’ home floor Tuesday, as former Sixer Paul George led all scorers with 36 points.
Embiid had 16 points on 2-of-9 shooting in the defeat, while James scored 11 points and shot 4-for-12.
Jaylen Brown, whom Philadelphia acquired from Boston over the summer, dealt with foul trouble and scored 13 points. “Tonight was humbling. We got outplayed, out-executed,” Brown said after Tuesday’s loss.
“I don't really look at the record,” Embiid said. He said he looks at “the process of, 'Are we getting better every day?'”
“We can always do a better job at all phases of the game,” he said.
Toronto came in at 5-6 for the second game of a back-to-back.
The Raptors fell 98-93 to the Celtics in Toronto on Wednesday after holding a 22-point lead. Toronto listed Scottie Barnes with a left groin strain, Trayce Jackson-Davis because of illness and Kawhi Leonard for left knee injury management as out for Thursday.
Toronto brought Leonard back in an offseason trade that sent Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to the LA Clippers. Leonard has played only two games. The Sixers’ game preview said he is expected to miss at least another week while reconditioning from left knee swelling.
The game was scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena on the Sixers’ Military Appreciation Night. It was not immediately known whether Embiid played.
James turns 42 next month. He typically sits out at least one game when the team plays a back-to-back.
Philadelphia has Friday and Saturday off before its next back-to-back. James will get four to five days off and could return Sunday against Indiana or Monday at Brooklyn, The Associated Press reported.