“There is a lot more work to do. You guys deserve a championship and I think we’re just getting started!” In the aftermath of signing a historical 3-year, $193 million contract extension, Joel Embiid laid out some big expectations for the upcoming season. Almost three months later, the Philadelphia 76ers are far from even having a chance of making it to the playoffs, let alone the NBA Finals. After all, they currently hold an 8-16 win record! A major reason behind this has been Joel Embiid’s injury concerns, which has severely limited his appearances on the court. From the looks of things, they will continue to trouble the Philadelphia 76ers for the foreseeable future too.

According to the Philadelphia 76ers Injury Report, Joel Embiid has now been listed as “Questionable.” This means that there has been some improvement in the player’s health. However, this status still places his availability on 50-50 odds. If he can’t make it, then the upcoming matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, once again, will mark the 2 consecutive game that the player will miss and the 19 just from this season!

Fortunately, the latest update from the team and Nick Nurse has everyone getting excited. ‘The Process’ has been upgraded to available. And the concern about him missing a second consecutive matchup (right sinus fracture) is no longer in the books.

Getting a little into the details, Coach Nurse mentioned, “He’s gonna work out here before the game and see where he’s at exactly before we get that all-clear, but it sounds like it’s pretty positive.“

As if that wasn’t enough bad news for the 76ers squad, the Center is not alone on the report. Caleb Martin, who continues to recover from his shoulder injury, will miss his 3rd consecutive game. Jared McCain recently underwent surgery to treat his lateral meniscus tear and is “OUT” indefinitely. This means that fans should not expect him to be present for any future games. That is unless the 76ers give out an official update on his recovery progress.

From Knee to Illness, ailments have caused Joel Embiid to continue his streak of being absent for major parts of an NBA season. Almost two weeks ago, it felt that the tide for the 76ers may start to change. After all, after weeks of absence, the player had recently returned to the court to take on the Chicago Bulls. His 31-point contribution helped the team to secure their 4 win in 5 games. However, this hope was short-lived. In the immediate next game, the coach limited Embiid’s on-court minutes down to just 17. Later, the team revealed that the Cameroonian had sustained a sinus fracture.

This ailment caused him to be absent from the first Hornets-76ers game, which the latter team managed to win by a 13-point margin. However, luck cannot often strike twice. Therefore, having Embiid take on LaMelo Ball and Co. may be reassuring. Speaking of the Charlotte Hornets, the team’s injury problems aren’t as bad as the 76ers. After all, they only have 1 player listed on their Injury Report!

Brandon Miller, who missed out on the previous matchup against the Washington Wizards, has now been listed under a “Day-To-Day” status. Given that he is the starting shooting guard for the Hornets, his presence would help the team during the upcoming matchup, especially now, when they are holding a 7-20 win record, and have lost their last 3 games.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineup.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Hornets-76ers game look like?

Joel Embiid’s “Questionable” status provides some hope for his availability. However, in case the player does not make it, Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele will continue covering for him. According to reports, KJ Martin or Ricky Council can see an increase in their responsibilities in order to cover for Caleb Martin. Meanwhile, in Jared McCain’s absence, Reggie Jackson and Kyle Lowry can be provided increased minutes.

In light of these updates, we can expect the starting lineup for the Philadelphia 76ers to look like this:

Similarly, given the update for the Charlotte Hornets, their starting lineup may look like this:

The Philadelphia 76ers or the Charlotte Hornets? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.