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Joel Embiid ruled out as 76ers host Pacers with thin frontcourt

76ers vs Pacers: Philadelphia ruled out Joel Embiid with right foot plantar fascia management, with Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow also out against Indiana.

Livefeed News DeskUpdated · 3 min read
Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid 2019.jpg by All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Quick answer

The Philadelphia 76ers (10-3) ruled out Joel Embiid for Sunday's home game against the Indiana Pacers (5-8) with right foot plantar fascia management. Backup big men Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow were also out, leaving two-way player Tacko Fall as the only active centre. Tip-off was 1 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Key facts

  • Joel Embiid was ruled out with right foot plantar fascia management.
  • Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain) and Dominick Barlow (back) were also out.
  • Philadelphia were 10-3 and Indiana 5-8 going into the game.
  • The 76ers won the first meeting 114-109 at Indiana on 28 October.
  • LeBron James was 11 assists shy of passing Jason Kidd for third on the all-time list.

Who is out for the 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers ruled out centre Joel Embiid for Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers with right foot plantar fascia management, the team announced on Saturday. Big men Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain) and Dominick Barlow (back) were also ruled out.

Barlow has not played this season. Coach Nick Nurse said on Saturday that he is “progressing” but has no timeline for a return.

LeBron James, who missed Thursday's win over the Toronto Raptors with sciatica and low back management, was not on the injury report.

Who plays centre without Embiid

With Embiid, Bona and Barlow all out, Tacko Fall, a two-way player, was the only active centre on the roster. ESPN expected the Sixers to lean on James, Jabari Walker and Dean Wade to cover the position, while Bleacher Report said Nurse would either start Fall or use a makeshift centre for most of the game.

Philadelphia were 1-1 without Embiid this season before Sunday. James started at centre in the first of those games, a loss to Detroit, and Bona started in a win over the Hornets.

The game was the front end of a back-to-back, with the Sixers due in Brooklyn to face the Nets on Monday. Neither Embiid nor James has played both games of a back-to-back this season.

Embiid's season so far

Embiid is averaging 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.7 blocks per game this season. He has not played more than 39 games in a season since his MVP campaign in 2022-23, mainly because of a knee problem, Bleacher Report noted. Last season he averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 blocks when healthy.

How both teams came into the game

Philadelphia (10-3) came back from a 17-point first-quarter deficit to beat Toronto 123-112 on Thursday. Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points with eight assists, and Embiid added 20.

Indiana (5-8) arrived on a two-game winning streak after beating the New York Knicks 106-104 at home on Friday in Emirates NBA Cup play, despite 33 points and 11 assists from Jalen Brunson. All five Pacers starters scored at least 12, including former Sixer Kelly Oubre Jr. with 16. Yahoo Sports named Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Ivica Zubac as key players for a Pacers side without Tyrese Haliburton.

The Sixers won the first meeting 114-109 in Indianapolis on 28 October, after trailing 88-75 going into the fourth quarter and outscoring the Pacers 39-21 in the final period. Maxey, Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Simons each scored at least 20 that night, and James had a season-high 10 assists.

LeBron James and the assists record

James went into the game with 12,081 career assists, 11 short of passing Jason Kidd for third place on the NBA's all-time list.

The reports cited here were published before tip-off and do not include the result.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Joel Embiid not playing against the Pacers?

The 76ers ruled him out with right foot plantar fascia management.

What time was 76ers vs Pacers?

Tip-off was set for 1 p.m. EST on Sunday, 15 November, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. That is 11:30 p.m. IST.

Who won the first 76ers vs Pacers game this season?

Philadelphia won 114-109 at Indiana on 28 October, outscoring the Pacers 39-21 in the fourth quarter.

Is LeBron James playing for the 76ers against the Pacers?

James was not listed on the injury report after missing Thursday's win over Toronto with sciatica and low back management.

Topics: philadelphia 76ersindiana pacersjoel embiidlebron jamesnba

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