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The Philadelphia 76ers were fined heavily for again violating injury reporting rules with Joel Embiid.
The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Monday afternoon.
The game begins at 3:00 pm Eastern Time, an unusual start time delayed due to the snow storm that swept up the East Coast over the weekend. The Sixers left town Saturday night immediately after their loss to the New York Knicks, getting ahead of the weather that has caused flight cancellations and travel chaos across the region.
Monday’s injury report clarified who will be available for the morning matchup.
Sixers injury report for Monday
Joel Embiid and Paul George are out for Monday’s game.
Both veterans are sidelined with left knee problems. The decision keeps them fresh for Tuesday’s home game against Milwaukee, the second half of a back-to-back.
Embiid’s absence is particularly notable given the streak he’s currently on. The center has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games, his best streak of the season. He followed up his first triple-double of the year against Houston with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists against New York on Saturday.
George’s absence opens up greater opportunities for Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been productive recently.
What Embiid’s good streak shows
Embiid has looked like his MVP caliber over the past week.
After struggling early in the season to improve his conditioning and find a rhythm, the center has turned things around dramatically.
His movement has been fluid. His jump shot has been soft. And he has not hesitated to attack the rim or use his body to create advantages inside. The streak of four games with 30+ point performances represents the best basketball he has played this season.
Sitting him on Monday preserves that momentum heading into Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Charlotte brings her own injury problems
The Hornets will be without two players on Monday.
Mason Plumlee is still out. KJ Simpson is also unavailable. Collin Sexton is listed as probable and should play.
Charlotte is 18-28 and ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets have won five of their last ten games and have been improving since Brandon Miller returned to the lineup. The young forward, who is often compared to Paul George, is averaging 20 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season.
The Sixers will also have to be careful with Kon Knueppel, who has been impressive as a rookie. The fourth overall pick is averaging 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and leads the race for rookie of the year.
Final word for the Sixers
Philadelphia enters Monday with the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Sixers will miss Embiid’s production, especially given his recent dominance. In his absence, Tyrese Maxey will continue to carry the offensive load. The Sixers star is in the midst of a stellar season, averaging career highs across the board.
He’ll lead Philadelphia when they have a chance to pick up a road win before immediately flying to Milwaukee for Tuesday’s back-to-back finale.
The early start time adds another complication to an already unusual Monday, but the Sixers should have enough firepower to handle business in the Queen City.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist who covers the NBA for Heavy.com, focusing on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
Heavier with the Sixers
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