Will Shaedon Sharpe, Joel Embiid be back tonight? Injury updates for Blazers vs 76ers
Despite a loss to the Chicago Bulls last night, the Portland Trail Blazers are 3-4 in their last seven games, which constitutes a strong stretch of play for this group. And they've done it without one of their best players in Shaedon Sharpe.
Shaedon exited a Jan. 11 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder after aggravating an adductor injury he dealt with in December. The timetable for his return was two weeks, which would have put him back on the floor late last week, but Sharpe has yet to return to Chauncey Billups' rotation.
Could tonight's matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers be the night we see the 20-year-old make his return to the court?
Is Shaedon Sharpe playing tonight?
Unfortunately it's a double-whammy for the Blazers tonight against the Sixers.
Sharpe is still listed as out with his lower abdominal injury, but Malcolm Brogdon joins him as questionable with a right knee injury.
Is Joel Embiid playing tonight?
Fortunately for Portland - not so fortunately for Philadelphia - MVP candidate Joel Embiid will miss his second straight game. That takes a massive burden off of Blazers' center Deandre Ayton, who would have to deal with JoJo for most of the night.
Full injury report for Trail Blazers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have another handful of players on their injury report as well. Here's the complete list of injuries for both sides in tonight's game:
Portland Trail Blazers
Out: Shaedon Sharpe (lower abdominal); Robert Williams III (knee); Moses Brown (wrist)
Questionable: Malcolm Brogdon (knee)
Philadelphia 76ers
Out: Joel Embiid (knee); Kenneth Lofton Jr. (personal); Robert Covington (knee); De'Anthony Melton (back)
Questionable: Tobias Harris (illness); Tyrese Maxey (ankle)
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On the plus side, teams tend to rest their starters against the Blazers even when they're "healthy." A Philly lineup without Embiid, Maxey and/or Harris maybe gives Portland a better shot at a win?