Embiid questionable Thursday against Raptors, Redick out

By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor

On Wednesday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Sixers big man Joel Embiid was expected to miss the next two games with back tightness. That doesn't seem to be the exact case. After practice on Thursday, the Sixers provided their regular medical update and Embiid was listed as questionable. The decision on his status will be made between 5-5:30 p.m., prior to the team's game against Toronto tonight.

The Sixers are 1-6 without Embiid in the lineup this season and they are 2-8 in their last 10 games. At the beginning of the season, they were competing, and even beating playoff teams, but they've fallen back to earth and have suffered losses to a number of teams with records below .500, including the Bulls, Lakers and Kings. 

Embiid played 49 minutes during the Sixers triple overtime loss to the Thunder during his last game on December 15. The 7-foot-2 big man had been experiencing back tightness going into the game and he was clearly hurting during the latter stages of the loss. In 23 games this season, he's is averaging 24.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game, shooting 49 percent from the floor.

Meanwhile, the Sixers will be without J.J. Redick at least tonight and probably Saturday as well. He exited the Kings loss early with a hamstring injury. After signing a one-year, $23 million contract this season, many believe Redick has been one of the biggest problems of the team's recent slump. In nine games during the month of December, he's shooting just 35.8 percent from beyond the arc and turning the ball over 2.2 times on average.