The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to move up in the Eastern Conference playoff race as the NBA season resumes following the All-Star break. Unfortunately, the 76ers will begin the second half of the season without the services of C Joel Embiid, who has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks due to knee injury management.
It’s no secret that Philadelphia has struggled without its star center on the floor this season. The 76ers hold an 11-12 record in games that Embiid has missed in 2025-26, including dropping six of their last seven.
Let’s take a look at the latest Joel Embiid injury update for Thursday vs. the Hawks, plus some key stats from PrizePicks Team Picks and who could step up in Embiid’s absence.
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Joel Embiid Injury Update: Is He Playing Tonight vs. Hawks?
The 76ers have officially ruled Embiid out for Thursday’s game against the Hawks due to a right knee injury and a right shin ailment. Philadelphia had held Embiid out of the lineup in the final two games before the All-Star break to rest his knee.
Embiid last played on February 7 against the Phoenix Suns, when he scored 33 points on 9-of-19 shooting and secured 9 rebounds in a 109-103 win.
After being limited to just 19 games in 2024-25, Embiid has returned to impressive form this season. In 31 games, the 2023 NBA MVP has averaged 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 49.4% from the floor. According to databallr, Embiid has registered 34.2 true shot attempts per 100 possessions, ranking in the 100th percentile.
Philadelphia will also be without F Paul George as the second half of the season gets underway. In late January, George was suspended 25 games without pay for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. In a statement, George admitted that he took an “improper medication” related to his mental health.
George began serving his suspension on January 31 against the New Orleans Pelicans and has already served seven games of the ban. He’ll be eligible to return on March 25 against the Chicago Bulls before the NBA playoffs.
Prior to his suspension, George averaged 16.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 3.7 APG while knocking down 38.2% of his shots from deep.
Will 76ers Beat Hawks With Embiid and Paul George Out?
Despite the 76ers being without Embiid and George, they’re still projected as 1.5-point home favorites against the Hawks on Thursday, according to PrizePicks Team Picks. Philadelphia will earn a 1.81x payout if they win outright, while Atlanta would earn a 1.88x payout if they can pull off the road win.
The 76ers do take a hit offensively without Embiid in the lineup. Philadelphia has averaged 112.9 points per game in the 23 games that Embiid has missed in 2025-26. On the season, the 76ers have averaged 116.2 PPG, ranking 13th in the NBA.
When Embiid is out, a lot of pressure falls onto the shoulders of PG Tyrese Maxey. In fact, opposing teams can collapse on Maxey more defensively when they aren’t as focused on Embiid doing damage.
In his last 10 games without Embiid, Maxey has averaged just 24.8 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 2.4 RPG while shooting 31.5% from 3-point land. Those numbers are below his season averages of 28.9 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.1 RPG, and 37.9%. Maxey has also tallied 20 or fewer points in three of his last five contests without Embiid.
The Hawks have defeated the 76ers in each of the two prior meetings this season. Embiid did play in both of those contests, with the most recent being a 120-117 loss on December 14 in Atlanta.
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Make Hawks vs. 76ers Picks on PrizePicks
The 76ers will be without C Joel Embiid when they take on the Hawks on Thursday. Even without Embiid in the lineup, there are plenty of 76ers player picks to consider on PrizePicks.
Just pick at least two player stat projections, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you're right. With PrizePicks Team Picks, you can also make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders — now available in 34 states!
Check out the Playbook throughout the season for more NBA picks, predictions, and news every day.
