Joel Embiid appears to be nearing his return from a right oblique strain, as he’s been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls on the NBA’s injury report released Tuesday evening.
Embiid has missed 13 games due to the injury, which occurred during his team’s Feb. 26 home win over the Miami Heat. He resumed individual on-court workouts over a week ago and has participated in portions of recent team shootarounds.
Starting guard Quentin Grimes, who sat out Monday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with an illness, is also listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup.
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Prior to Embiid’s oblique injury, the former NBA Most Valuable Player was contending with a stress reaction in his right shin and a right knee issue.
These kept him sidelined for five consecutive games around the mid-February All-Star break, interrupting a period where Embiid had been consistently dominant and available. In 20 games played between Dec. 23 and Feb. 7, he averaged 30 points on 52.7% shooting, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, putting him in contention for an All-Star reserve spot.
This marks the latest injury-plagued season for Embiid, who was limited to 19 games in 2024-25 and missed over two months in 2023-24 following multiple left knee surgeries.
Even with potential returns for Embiid or Grimes on Wednesday, the Sixers will still be shorthanded. All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey (sprained little finger) and starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained elbow) remain out. Conversely, starting forward Paul George is set to return Wednesday after completing his 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
With 10 games remaining, the Sixers (39-33) are fighting for playoff positioning in a tight Eastern Conference. As of Tuesday, they occupied seventh place, one game behind the sixth-place Atlanta Hawks and half a game ahead of the eighth-place Orlando Magic.