Joel Embiid and Paul George participated in practice on Friday, including a full-court scrimmage with the 76ers, showing they are making progress, even though they are not yet ready for a regular-season game.
Both players have left knee injuries and will miss their fifth consecutive game on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 76ers are scheduled to play at Phoenix on Monday.
The NBA fined the 76ers $100,000 for not accurately sharing the players’ health status.
Embiid’s upcoming game will be his 434th in a career that could reach 806 games for the 76ers after Saturday’s game. For comparison, Aaron Gordon, who was picked right after Embiid in the 2014 NBA Draft, has played in 669 regular-season games and 52 playoff games.
“I wish I was as lucky as other ones,” Embiid said on Friday, referring to his knee injuries and his surgery for a torn meniscus on February 6. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying and I’m not doing whatever it takes to try to be out there, which I’m going to be here pretty soon.”
Speaking at the team practice facility in New Jersey, Embiid expressed frustration about the ongoing speculation regarding his commitment to playing.
“When I see people saying, ‘he doesn’t want to play,’ I’ve done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk for people to be saying that,” Embiid stated. “I do think it’s bull—-.”
“I’ve done way too much for this f—— city to be treated like this. Done way too f—— much.”
Joel Embiid, a seven-time All-Star and the MVP for the 2022-23 season, played for Team USA at the Paris Olympics this summer. After being drafted by Philadelphia in 2014, he missed two seasons due to a foot injury but has since averaged 27.9 points and 11.2 rebounds, playing only for the Sixers.
Embiid mentioned that “everybody has been on the same page” about his progress as he gets ready to return to regular-season games.
Paul George, who signed as a free agent in July, said he was cleared for contact practice earlier this week. He has been recovering from a bone bruise.
“Getting that wind up. You can’t really simulate that level of cardio other than playing,” George explained on Friday.
“Just being thrown in the mix again has helped get my wind up, doing some sprints, going off to the side of the court doing sprints up and down. That stuff is helping me get back. That’s it. That’s the last box I’ve got to check. I’m getting there.”
At 34 years old, George averaged 22.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 74 games for the Clippers last season. In his 14 NBA seasons, he has scored 20.8 points per game and grabbed 6.3 rebounds in 867 games, including 819 starts, with the Pacers (2010-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-19), and the Clippers.
