Will Joel Embiid Play Tonight? Latest Update Ahead of 76ers vs the Magic

The Philadelphia 76ers are all set to host Orlando on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center in what you can call, a massive showdown of this season. All thanks to their current 6-game winning streak, Philadelphia can jump up the 6th seed in the East, avoiding the play-in tournament. If they win the final 2 games, including today’s, they will surpass Orlando in the standing with their tiebreaker advantage.

Joel Embiid‘s return can stir up some much-needed adrenaline for the team, who are only looking to improve their playoff standings. But his “questionable” status because of his left knee injury recovery is putting a dampener so far. His recovery forced him to take a back-seat mid-season, becoming a major issue for the franchise since their matchup against Detroit. Embiid hurt himself chasing a loose ball, when he suddenly hit the floor, grasping his leg. he decision whether he will play or not will be made when tip-off time is near. Embiid’s presence on the court is undeniably impactful for the 76ers. His scoring prowess, rebounding dominance, and defensive presence are crucial to the team’s success.

Had Embiid not faced that injury, the Sixers would be much higher in terms of their standings in the East. In all of the 38 games he’s played so far, Philly managed an incredible win-loss ratio of 30-8. Without their superstar, they are submerged in the ocean of mediocrity, winning just 15 games and losing 27 without Embiid. So far, in all the games he has played, Embiid averaged 24.8 points, 11.0 points, and 5.6 assists. So the 76ers’ fate today depends on their valuable asset showing up.

As for Orlando Magic, Franz Wagner is listed as “questionable” because of his right ankle sprain.

Predicted Lineups: 76ers vs Magic

Orlando (46-34) is 5th in the East, losing 2 straight games, while the 76ers (45-35) are 7th. Again, for the Sixers, it’s a crucial win to go up in the standings. In their unbelievable run, they have scored 114.6 points per game, on average, which is 15th overall in the league right now. They have been great on both the offensive end and defensive end. This is how they could line up:

• Guard – Kyle Lowry
• Guard – Tyrese Maxey
• Forward – Kelly Oubre Jr.
• Forward – Tobias Harris
• Center – Joel Embiid

The Orlando Magic have lost 2 matches in a row but are going through a decent run, despite losing 6 games out of the last 10. Their away record is 18-22, which doesn’t look impressive, but they still average 110.4 points per game, which is 25th overall in the league. Defensively, they are going strong. This is how the Magic could line up:

• Guard – Markelle Fultz
• Guard – Jalen Suggs
• Forward – Caleb Houstan
• Forward – Paolo Banchero
• Center – Wendell Carter Jr.

Tonight’s matchup between the 76ers and the Magic is a battle to watch out for with a lot at stake. The Magic, exceeding expectations all season, will be looking to pull off an upset against the Embiid-led Sixers. Embiid will look forward to playing the game and will try to win it for the 76ers. Stay tuned for more updates.

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