After opening the season with a flawless 4-0 run, the Philadelphia 76ers have stumbled lately, falling to the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls to drop to 5-2. Looking to bounce back, they now head to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers. With Joel Embiid’s status uncertain following a taxing stretch, the team’s lineup choices on the second night of a back-to-back will be key.

Is Joel Embiid playing tonight against Cavs?

Joel Embiid is listed as questionable on the Philadelphia 76ers’ official injury report for Wednesday’s game, though a final announcement is yet to come from the team’s end. The situation is complicated by the fact that this is the second game in as many nights for the Sixers, and Embiid has already been struggling lately.

In an earlier interview, Embiid made his stance on back-to-back games clear. “If I had to guess,” he stated. “I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career…but I’m a troll, so I’m sure at some point, I’ll play.” This policy stems from his ongoing management of a left knee issue that has required multiple surgeries, but given the Sixers’ lead, the team would not like to lose against a struggling Cavaliers.

Embiid played 25 minutes and 33 seconds in Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, which is more or less his average (22.8 minutes) this season. Given his stated approach to back-to-backs and his recent injury history, his availability for the Cavaliers game remains uncertain despite his absence from the injury report.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report for Nov. 5

76ers injury report

The Philadelphia 76ers have several players with confirmed statuses for the game. Paul George remains out as he continues his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Forward Dominick Barlow is also ruled out due to an elbow injury sustained earlier this season.

Guard Jared McCain returned to action on Tuesday for just 15 minutes after a long absence, but his participation in this back-to-back is uncertain. The team had him on a minutes restriction in his first game back, and playing consecutive nights might be too much to ask so soon.

Cavs injury report

The Cleveland Cavaliers have multiple key players with questionable status. Jarrett Allen is questionable with a finger injury, while Sam Merrill is questionable with a hip issue. Most notably, Darius Garland has been upgraded to questionable and could make his season debut after recovering from toe surgery, but Max Strus continues to remain out with a foot injury.

Predicted starting Lineups for 76ers vs Cavs for Nov. 5

The projected starting lineups for both teams are as follows.

These lineups account for the potential absence of Joel Embiid for the 76ers and the possible return of Darius Garland for the Cavaliers, though Garland would likely come off the bench initially if he plays.

Where to Watch the 76ers vs Cavs Game?

Fans can tune in to watch the game through the following options.

Date: Wednesday, November 5

Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Where to Watch: The game will be broadcast locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia for 76ers fans and on the FanDuel Sports Network for Cavaliers fans.

Live Stream: Viewers can also stream the game online using NBA League Pass or the FanDuel Sports Network app.

Match Preview & What to Expect

The Philadelphia 76ers enter this game with a 5-2 record after a devastating loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. They blew a 3-quarter lead only to give away 29 points and score 16 in the last quarter. The team is playing its third straight road game and faces a challenging schedule with 14 games in November.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hold a 4-3 record and are coming off two days of rest after defeating the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell has been outstanding, averaging 29.5 points per game with an impressive 55% shooting from the field this season. He has scored 35 or more points in three of Cleveland’s six games.

Even if Joel Embiid plays, the 76ers are on the second night of a back-to-back, while the Cavaliers are well-rested and potentially welcoming back key players. The prediction is that the Cleveland Cavaliers to secure a victory at home.