East Notes: Sixers, Joel Embiid, Nets, Raptors

76ers

Center Joel Embiid will miss Thursday’s road game against the Jazz with a left knee injury suffered in Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Embiid is scheduled to have the knee re-examined within the next 24 hours after returning to Philadelphia, Woj added.

“The reigning league MVP is amid the best season of his career but has continued to deal with health issues,” noted Sam Quinn of CBS Sports. “He’s missed 12 out of Philadelphia’s 46 games thus far this season, including a marquee matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday due to a left knee injury.”

• Sixers coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid’s latest knee injury is “unrelated to what’s been bothering him.” Nurse added that Embiid wanted to play vs. the Warriors. “Obviously medical cleared him to play, and Joel was a big part of that,” Nurse said. “He said he was feeling good.”

Nets

• Guard/forward Ben Simmons sat out Wednesday’s home game vs. the Suns with a left knee contusion. Simmons had just returned from a back issue after a two-month absence, hurting his knee in a win over the Jazz — his first game back. Coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters that Simmons is day-to-day.
• In case you missed it, we have plenty of Nets trade rumors right here. Most seem to center around guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

Raptors

Guard Bruce Brown has had a strong run with the Raptors after being acquired in the Pascal Siakam trade with the Pacers, and his coaches and teammates are taking notice.

“Bruce is a basketball player. He knows how to play. And that’s what you want on your team,” forward Thaddeus Young said. “You want guys who know how to play, who know how to make reads, goes out there and be a glue guy, just jumps into the system. He hasn’t played with us very long, but it’s like he’s been here for the whole season.”

• Toronto beat the Bulls in Chicago on Tuesday despite missing three starters — forward RJ Barrett, guard Immanuel Quickley and center Jakob Poeltl. Coach Darko Rajakovic offered plenty of praise all around, particularly to Young. “I can speak about Thad Young for the whole night. It’s not just what he does on the court. It’s everything he does off the court as well,” Rajakovic said.