The Sixers on Sunday afternoon ruled Joel Embiid and Jabari Walker out for the last leg of their back-to-back.
Embiid’s official injury report listing was “right plantar fasciitis injury management” and Walker’s was “left knee soreness.” The 3-0 Sixers will host the 2-0 Pistons on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Embiid and Walker join Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) on the sidelines. LeBron James is set to return after sitting Saturday night.
Following a 28-point triple-double Saturday in the Sixers’ win over the Bucks, Embiid made a good-natured public pitch to play. In his postgame media availability from the Sixers’ locker room, Embiid asked reporters with a smile to make it known that he felt good and wanted to go Sunday. The Sixers stuck with their original plan of Embiid splitting the back-to-back.
Adem Bona will presumably be the next center in line behind Embiid. Detroit is also down its usual starting big man with Jalen Duren out because of a right hamstring strain. Former Sixer Paul Reed should play a large role for Detroit without Duren.
Walker “tweaked his left knee” against the Bucks, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said postgame. He played 12 solid minutes, posting six points and three rebounds, before exiting late in the third quarter.
