Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is known for two things: being a stellar big man in the NBA and being injured. It appears that the latter is coming into play. As reported by ESPN, Embiid will sit out of Sunday afternoon's scrimmage against the Oklahoma City Thunder with right calf tightness. The team stated that Embiid began feeling tightness in the calf during Friday's 90-83 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. He is listed as day-to-day at the moment, and plans to be reevaluated Monday.
Sixers coach Brett Brown says he is not frustrated at all by the calf stiffness. "It's the second game. If this had happened three to four games into what we are calling the regular season, [yes]. There is always frustration, selfish frustration, and I know frustration, at times, for Joel. But initially, [we're] just trying to be smart with everything and move on." The restarted NBA season is currently taking place in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Resort. Embiid averaged 23.4 PPG, 11.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game in the regular season this year before the NBA was shut down due to COVID-19.
When asked whether Embiid could potentially miss any of the playoff seeding games, which start for the 76ers on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, Brown talked himself around the question instead of answering it. "I believe we're just getting out in front of stuff, and being smart with it," he said.
