76ers Top player set to return from injury

After missing four consecutive games, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is set to make his return to action.

The team’s injury report was without the reigning league MVP’s name for the first time in over a week, indicating that Embiid is ready to return for the Sixers’ contest versus the Chicago Bulls. Embiid suffered an ankle sprain on Dec. 22 and missed all four games over the past week.

The Sixers are returning from a four-game road trip that they took completely without Embiid, splitting the week with two wins and two losses. Paul Reed was slotted in to fill the void left by Embiid to mixed results (especially in comparison to Embiid, nearly impossible shoes to fill).

One doesn’t really need to explain how getting a 30+ point per game scorer and main rim protector provides a boost to a team that the Sixers will welcome with open arms. It’s also a positive to see that they don’t even have Embiid listed as questionable, implying that there must be some level of confidence in his healing from the ankle sprain.

While Embiid returns, the Sixers will still be down a starter as De’Anthony Melton popped up on the injury report. Melton is listed as out with lumbar spine soreness. The Sixers’ starting two guard dealt with a lingering back issue last season.

Embiid, the Sixers and the Chicago Bulls will tip off at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday night.