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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
BOSTON — The Philadelphia 76ers will be without the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, Joel Embiid, for Friday night’s showdown with the Celtics at TD Garden, and could also be missing rising star Tyrese Maxey and starting forward Nicolas Batum.
Embiid, who missed Wednesday’s loss at New Orleans due to an illness, was not at shootaround Friday morning, with the hope being that he would be able to play if he improved as the day progressed.
But Nurse opened his pregame availability saying that Embiid would not be working out before the game, and would sit out his third contest of the season.
“I expect him to not play,” Nurse said with a smile, when asked if Embiid not working out meant he wouldn’t be suiting up.
Nurse then went on to address the status of both Maxey, who was downgraded to questionable with an illness a couple of hours before Friday’s game, and Batum, who injured his finger in the loss to the Pelicans.
“I mean, listen, it’s not great, either one,” Nurse said. “But I think 60-40 for both to give it a shot.
“How far they make it, if they give it a shot is 40-60,” he added with a laugh.
There was one positive injury report from Nurse: Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been out since Nov. 10 after fracturing his rib in a hit-and-run car accident, will be “full-go” for practice Monday, paving the way for him to return to game action Wednesday against the Wizards.