-
Shams Charania, ESPN
Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George will miss Wednesday’s home game against the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers because of injury management.
Embiid and George are sitting out the second game of the Sixers’ back-to-back as the team takes a long-term approach with both players and their return from left knee issues.
Embiid made his season debut in Tuesday’s 111-99 loss to the New York Knicks, and George returned last week from a bone bruise in his left knee.
The 76ers have been open since the preseason on how they intended to use Embiid this season — manage his minutes and games played to the point where they can safely navigate him to the postseason healthy for the first time in his career.
Embiid said after Tuesday’s game that he would lobby to play against the Cavs and softened comments he made last month that he wouldn’t play back-to-backs anymore.
“I know I said I will never play back-to-backs,” Embiid said, smiling, “but I’m a troll.”
Embiid shot just 2 for 11, finishing with 13 points and three rebounds as the Sixers fell to 2-8 with Tuesday’s home loss.
George, who led the Sixers with 29 points, acknowledged he was still “kind of learning” to play with Embiid but added that the 2022-23 MVP is “a force out there.”
Aside from Embiid and George, the Sixers also will be without star guard Tyrese Maxey, who will miss his fourth straight game Wednesday with a right hamstring injury. The trio has not played a game together.
The Cavaliers (12-0) are off to the best start in an NBA season since the 2015-16 Warriors, who won their first 24 games that season.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and the Associated Press contributed to this report.