Nick Nurse: Joel Embiid ‘looked pretty good’ but Sixers stay cautious

All-Star weekend treated the 76ers well. The return to reality did not.

Rookie VJ Edgecombe took home MVP honors at the Rising Stars Challenge, and Tyrese Maxey enjoyed his first All-Star start. Then Philadelphia got back to work Wednesday, which meant the focus shifted back where it always does.

Namely, Joel Embiid.

Embiid missed the Sixers’ final two games before the break with knee soreness, and coach Nick Nurse provided a measured update after practice.

“He was out there, looked pretty good,” Nurse said, via PHLY Sixers. “He’s got a meeting with the doctors this afternoon, so we’ll know a little bit more about where he is.”

That came with a caveat. Embiid has also been dealing with right shin soreness while continuing a right knee injury management program, and the team ruled him out for Thursday’s game against the Hawks.

Beyond that, there is no timeline.

Embiid has played in 31 games this season, averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. When he is available, the Sixers look like a real problem in the East. When he is not, everything changes.

Philadelphia can afford caution. It cannot afford uncertainty forever.

The hope is simple. It’s that the knee and shin calm down, that Embiid gets right, and that this does not become the story again two weeks from now.