PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been sidelined for Friday night’s NBA Cup game against the Brooklyn Nets because of what the team described as left knee maintenance.

Playing in Memphis on Wednesday night, Embiid scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 117-111 loss that dropped the Sixers to 2-12. Against the Grizzlies, Embiid appeared to be limping and hobbling with a knee injury at times, but stayed in the game as Philadelphia fought back into contention in the fourth quarter.

Embiid will be next to Paul George on the sideline on Friday night. George suffered a left knee contusion during Wednesday’s match and will be out until next week at the earliest. The third part of the Sixers’ projected “Big Three” – guard Tyrese Maxey – returned against Memphis after missing two weeks with a hamstring injury. Embiid, Maxey and George have only played together in one game this season.

Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, missed Philadelphia’s first 10 games due to knee management and a three-game suspension and has been sidelined for 11 of 15 games this season.

___

APNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba