Sixers head coach Nick Nurse acknowledges that any details about Joel Embiid’s rehabilitation from a left lateral meniscus injury will attract attention.
“I think it’s tricky,” Nurse said Saturday night before the Sixers’ game against the Hornets. “I think there are always stages in how these things progress. Everyone wants to know, “Well, how long is this going to last?” » And they give a pretty wide range because everyone heals differently. There are things that are going well, there are things that are going backwards… there are all kinds of things like that.
“So I think we’re just trying to take things as they come, get him healthy – get him really healthy – and bring him back when he’s ready to go.”
On Embiid’s 30th birthday, Nurse provided some details on his star big man.
“He saw the doctor last week,” the nurse said. “They are happy with the progress. The rumors of him being on the field, I believe, are true, but I haven’t seen any of it. We’ve been gone a long time – we came back yesterday – and I haven’t seen him.
Prior to their meeting with Charlotte, the Sixers were 7-13 since Embiid’s injury. According to Clean the Glassthey ranked 24th in offensive rating and 25th in defensive rating over that span.
Embiid said on February 29 that he plans to return this season. The Sixers’ regular season finale will take place on April 14 against the Nets.
“I still hope so and I’m still pretty confident in that, yeah,” Nurse said.
In addition to Embiid, De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine bone stress) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) are out due to long-term injuries. A Sixers official said March 6 that Covington was progressing through his rehabilitation program with a goal of beginning on-field activities within the next 7 to 10 days. Melton has been on an “offloading program” and is expected to be re-evaluated in about two weeks, the official said.
Tobias Harris was also sidelined Saturday night after spraining his right ankle late in the fourth quarter. Sixers defeat against the Bucks.
Nurse started Nicolas Batum in place of Harris alongside Kyle Lowry, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mo Bamba. He said the Sixers “should definitely use KJ (Martin) at the four as well.”
