Copyright sportskeeda
The Philadelphia 76ers' injury report could be stacked ahead of Wednesday's marquee matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Sixers won't have Joel Embiid in the lineup. He returned on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls after a one-game absence, citing knee injury management. Embiid announced his permanent decision not to play back-to-backs for the rest of his career during an interview with ESPN in October. "If I had to guess," Embiid said, "I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career."Since January 2024, Embiid has repeatedly struggled with a lingering left knee issue, which has required multiple surgeries. He played 39 games in the 2023-24 season and 19 in the 2024-25 season. This year, Embiid has managed five out of seven games.Meanwhile, second-year guard Jared McCain returned to the lineup on Tuesday, playing his first game since December 2024. He suffered a knee injury then, ruling him out for the rest of his rookie year. In the offseason, he underwent surgery on his thumb after tearing his UCL in a team practice.He was probable before Tuesday's game against Chicago and was on a minute restriction. The Sixers may not risk playing him on the second night of a back-to-back after a lengthy hiatus. Meanwhile, Paul George, who is targeting a November return after undergoing knee surgery in July, will remain out. On Monday, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said that George is progressing and had a 3-on-3 workout with McCain. However, he still has time to make his season debut.The Philadelphia 76ers will also remain without third-year forward Dominick Barlow, who suffered an elbow injury two games into the season.Where to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game?Wednesday's game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers will be televised locally by NBC Sports Philadelphia. Fans can also stream the game online via the FanDuel Sports Network App and NBA League Pass from 7:00 p.m. ET. The 76ers are +9.5-point underdogs in the absence of Joel Embiid and Paul George.
