Philadelphia 76ers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) might return before the end of the regular season. Wojnarowski stated that it's not a matter of "if" but "when," while adding the team hopes to get him back with at least a few games left before the postseason begins. The 30-year-old averaged a career-high 35.3 points with 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks before going down with a knee injury at the end of January. Of course, it could take him a few games to get back up to speed. However, Embiid's presence will immediately mean less work for Mo Bamba and Paul Reed, who have seen an uptick in production while the reigning MVP has been sidelined.

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (shoulder) is considered questionable for Wednesday's clash with the Los Angeles Clippers. He didn't play in Monday's loss to Sacramento because of shoulder soreness. As a result, Nicolas Batum slid into the starting lineup. However, Batum was held scoreless, so he'll be hard to trust from a fantasy standpoint if Oubre misses another contest. Instead, Buddy Hield, who also had a rough showing, has a much higher fantasy upside.

Detroit Pistons guard/forward Quentin Grimes (knee) will not play against Minnesota on Wednesday due to a knee injury. This is his eighth consecutive game missed due to a right knee contusion. Simone Fontecchio (toe) will also be unavailable. Additionally, Cade Cunningham (knee/rest) is listed as questionable after missing multiple games. As a result, Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser are expected to continue leading the short-handed backcourt. Sasser only holds a little fantasy value, but Ivey is averaging 15.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 68 regular season tilts.

On Monday, Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (shoulder) will not suit up against the Sacramento Kings. He is suffering from a sore left shoulder. The 28-year-old was added to the injury report as a game-time decision, and after testing his shoulder in pregame warmups, he is now listed as out. 31-year-old Buddy Hield will likely start at small forward with Oubre Jr. sidelined.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry won't play in Sunday's game against the Clippers. He logged 32 minutes in Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the 37-year-old isn't getting any younger, so he'll get the afternoon off before presumably returning for Monday's clash with the Sacramento Kings. But without Lowry in the mix, Nicolas Batum, averaging 5.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 33 starts during the 2023-24 campaign, may roll with the first five, giving DFS managers a value option.