The 76ers entered the season with a blistering four-game winning streak. They looked every bit like an early contender,until Joel Embiid’s absence. It began to disrupt the rhythm. Still, Philadelphia reminded everyone of its ceiling with a commanding 115-103 win over the Nets. Now, as they prepare to face the Atlanta Hawks tonight, will their MVP anchor be back on the floor?

76ers Injury Report: Are Joel Embiid V J Edgecombe playing tonight?

Unfortunately, Joel Embiid is out for tonight. He is listed out due to injury management for soreness in his right knee.

The issue first popped up on the morning of November 11, when Embiid reported new soreness at shootaround; since then, the Sixers have kept listing him as ‘day-to-day’ even as the absences quietly stacked up. Head coach Nick Nurse said Embiid needs to “get through some pain, and also some on‑court activity” before he can return. For now, his streak of missed games has grown to nine.

Nurse also admitted he ‘can’t predict any of it’ with Embiid’s timeline, stressing that the big man ‘wants to play’ and has been ‘very diligent’ with rehab, but the staff keeps coming back to, ‘do the right things and listen to what the doctors tell us.

Even when Embiid has played this season, he’s been under restricted minutes to help manage his knee. In the 2025-26 campaign, Embiid has been averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

Beyond Joel Embiid, the Sixers have been anchored by Andre Drummond and VJ Edgecombe. However Drummond’s painful knee issue in Brooklyn had initially been raised, but an MRI confirmed there was no structural damage. The team expects Drummond to return to action fairly soon.

Edgecombe, meanwhile, has missed three consecutive games due to a left calf strain. It also marked the first time the young guard has been sidelined in his NBA career. Edgecombe participated in the team’s walkthrough on Saturday. So there might be a chance of his return on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Trendon Watford remains out due to his adductor issue. And, Kelly Oubre Jr. is also sidelined with a knee injury, leaving Philly with a depleted rotation. Watford is expected to miss at least two weeks with a left adductor strain, while Oubre is working back from an LCL sprain in his left knee and isn’t due for a full re-evaluation until sometime next week.

Atlanta Hawks Injury Report, Are Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson Playing Tonight?

The Hawks have faced some long term injuries in players like Trae Young who has missed 15 games so far since he suffered an MCL sprain on October 29 against Brooklyn. He is set to be reevaluated in two weeks, underlining his estimated mid-December return. In his absence, Jalen Johnson is having a breakout 2025‑26 campaign for Atlanta. He is currently averaging about 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game and is set to play tonight. Same with guard Dyson Daniels, who is averaging 10.1 points in the last 10 games.

Atlanta is also without Kristaps Porzingis who is out due to illness. N’Faly Dante (knee) and Nikola Durisic (elbow) are also sidelined.

Predicted Starting Lineups: 76ers vs Hawks

With key contributors still missing, this matchup becomes more about stability than star power. Philadelphia’s structure has kept it afloat, while Atlanta has reshaped its identity around Jalen Johnson’s emergence. Tonight comes down to which undermanned roster executes cleaner and adapts faster to a depth game while both teams wait for their anchors to return.