Follow usPhiladelphia’s Christmas night clash against the Miami Heat will be without the reigning NBA MVP, Joel Embiid, who has been ruled out due to a sprained right ankle. Despite his absence, the 76ers, currently third in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NBA with a 20-8 record, aim to maintain their strong performance.
Embiid sustained the ankle injury during Friday’s victory over the Toronto Raptors and did not travel with the Sixers to Miami on Sunday. This marks the fourth game he has missed this season. Despite the setback, his exceptional December performance has been noteworthy, averaging 40.2 points and 12.6 rebounds in nine appearances, shooting at an impressive 61%.
The MVP candidate is leading the league with an average of 35 points per game this season, positioning himself for a potential third consecutive scoring title. Notably, Embiid has achieved at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in each of his last 13 games, marking the NBA’s longest such streak since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1972 record of 16 straight contests.
Embiid, who played through the ankle injury in the latter part of Friday’s game against the Raptors, remained impactful, scoring 20 points in the second half. The team, after evaluating his condition over the weekend, decided it would be unwise for him to play on Monday. There is a possibility that Embiid could make a return to the lineup for the team’s Wednesday game against Orlando.
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