The Philadelphia 76ers have a new setback to keep an eye on for Joel Embiid throughout the 2026-2027 NBA season: plantar fasciitis.
Ahead of Monday’s action between the Sixers and the Chicago Bulls, Embiid was listed as questionable. That was the first time he was on the injury report when it wasn’t the first or second night of a back-to-back set.
Before Monday’s Sixers victory over the Bulls, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse noted that the pain comes and goes for Embiid. The team is just doing what they can to manage it.
After the game, Embiid spoke on the setback from his perspective.
Joel Embiid Addresses Recent Setback After 76ers Beat Bulls
“It’s been going on like that for the last few [games],” Embiid told reporters after a short night.
“It’s painful … But yeah, we’ve been able to manage it, but it has its ups and downs … You feel it on the court, so it certainly doesn’t help.”
Outside of Embiid, each Sixers starter on Monday night checked in for over 30 minutes. The star center had just 24 minutes of playing time.
Fortunately, Embiid was still quite productive. The star center dropped 15 points, while coming down with eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. He was a plus-21 on the court during his short shift.
Moving forward, it’s unclear if Embiid will remain on the injury report. After taking down the Bulls with a 126-107 victory, the Sixers are going to fire up a road trip, beginning with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. They’ll close out the week against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls.
Without any back-to-backs, Embiid should be healthy enough to play, barring any setbacks. Soon, the Sixers will reveal his status for Wednesday’s action.
