Joel Embiid did not practice Thursday, a day after spraining his left ankle in the Sixers' dramatic one-point win over the Knicks. He sat out as a precautionary measure but was on the court taking shots (including this half-court bucket) in a moccasin-type shoe after practice.
Embiid had treatment on the left ankle Thursday and is probable to play Friday at home against the Hornets. He hurt the ankle in the second quarter and went back to the locker room but was healthy enough to play in the second half. He finished with 21 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
The Sixers have already announced he will not play Saturday in D.C. against the Wizards. Embiid is still not playing both games of a back-to-back.
“It’s just a decision that we make. We like, when we can, playing him at home,” Brown said after practice. “It’s not the complete marching orders. We feel like there’s a rhythm to what we’re doing. That’s part of it.”
Jahlil Okafor, who has been healthy but on the bench for three straight Sixers games, will face the Wizards Saturday. The Sixers are 4-1 in their last five games, a span during which Okafor has totaled 10 minutes.
“Jahlil has taken a little bit of a hit. That disturbs me,” Brown said. “You’re going to go to Washington and it’s going to be easy because Joel Embiid isn’t going to play and Jahlil is going to be back on stage.”
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Gerald Henderson participated in practice and received treatment as part of his work load plan, unrelated to his lingering hip discomfort. The shooting guard is probable against the Hornets.