76ers superstars Joel Embiid and Paul George will miss season opener vs. Bucks

The Philadelphia 76ers will face the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the NBA season opener on Wednesday night. Unfortunately for the Sixers, the fans in attendance and ESPN, Philly will have some star power.

The team announced Tuesday that MVP big man Joel Embiid and All-Star wing Paul George would miss the season opener against the Bucks. Embiid did not appear in any of the Sixers’ preseason games due to “left knee management,” while George hyperextended his knee in a preseason contest earlier this month.

ESPN’s Shams Charania noted that while Embiid is progressing well in his preparation to play, he will not appear in any of the three games Philadelphia has scheduled for this week. The same goes for George, who will be re-evaluated next week.

It’s a troubling way to start the Embiid/George era in Philadelphia. George was the team’s prized free agent acquisition, an ideal third wheel to complement Embiid’s dominance and Tyrese Maxey’s playmaking ability. However, he is 34 years old and has missed at least 26 games in four of the last five seasons. It’s not the end of the world for him to lose the first game of this season, but it’s not exactly an auspicious start either.

Embiid’s injury management, meanwhile, is starting to become more concerning. He was clearly injured in last year’s postseason and at times didn’t move well during the Summer Olympics. It appears his time off didn’t help much, and when combined with Embiid’s admission that he will likely never play back-to-back for rest of your career, well… The questions start about your immediate and long term. term health.

In the short term, the Sixers will face a Bucks team with injury problems of their own. Khris Middleton was declared absent from the opening match yesterday as he continues to recover from ankle surgery.