Philadelphia 76ers Roster
- Eastern Atlantic
- Stadium
- Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is officially questionable against the Washington Wizards on Monday due to left knee soreness. The reigning MVP is no stranger to rest nights and injury management, so it's not uncommon to see him pop up on the injury report with some sort of soreness or pain. With that being said, if he is upgraded to active then he remains a must-start as he's scored 48 and 50 points against the Wizards on separate occasions this year. If he's unable to play, Marcus Morris Sr. and Paul Reed should see an uptick in minutes while one of them will move into the starting five.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was back from a two-game absence on Wednesday and made the Washington Wizards look silly with a 50-point performance in a 131-126 win. He logged 38 minutes to prove he's fully recovered from the illness that kept him sidelined for a couple of games, and Embiid added 13 rebounds for a big double-double. He also notched seven assists with one steal and one block while hitting 19-for-29 from the field and 11-for-13 at the charity stripe. Teams can do very little to keep Embiid in check, and the Wizards, in particular, are probably sick of seeing him, with the reigning MVP having averaged 45 points against them in the last four games. Unfortunately for them, there's another meeting scheduled with Embiid and Philadelphia for Monday.
Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (illness) was originally listed as probable so the fact he was upgraded to active doesn't come as a huge surprise. He'll be back in the starting five along with a fully healthy Sixers squad for the first time since Kelly Oubre Jr. (ribs) first got injured. Melton's fantasy value will likely take a bit of a hit with the team's offensive firepower back on the court, but his defensive value should remain the same. Melton continues to see higher value in deeper leagues.
Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (illness) is probable to play in Wednesday's game against the Washington Wizards. Melton is under the weather but should be ready to play by the time Wednesday night arrives, judging by the probable tag. We'll see if Philadelphia offers another update after morning shootaround leading into the action against the Wizards. Melton dropped 21 points with four threes on a season-high 19 field-goal attempts last Friday against the Boston Celtics, but expect his usage to take a tumble with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Kelly Oubre Jr. all back in the fold for Wednesday's battle. Melton remains a strong hold in 9-category fantasy leagues unless the Sixers swing a trade for another star, averaging 12.8 points, 3.7 assists, 2.4 three-pointers on 40.0% shooting from long distance, and 1.3 steals in 30.2 minutes through 19 starting appearances this year.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse confirms that guard Tyrese Maxey (illness) practiced on Monday. Maxey joined star teammate Joel Embiid (illness) on the sidelines with an illness as the undermanned Sixers hung in there in last Friday's 125-119 loss to the Boston Celtics, sitting out for the first time this year. Appearing to be feeling better now, Maxey looks to be good to go for Wednesday's game against the Washington Wizards. The early odds-on favorite for 2023-24's Most Improved Player Award, Maxey has taken Philly's backcourt reins in the wake of the James Harden trade. The 23-year-old is averaging 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 treys in an NBA-high 38.4 minutes per night, making him a first-round fantasy player. After flirting with a triple-double on Friday, Patrick Beverley is in line for a significantly diminished role in Maxey's return against the Wizards. De'Anthony Melton is also set for decreased usage.
