76ers Face Challenges As All-Star Center Embiid Sidelined

The Philadelphia Sixers have yet to have All-Star center Joel Embiid play in a game this season, and that will not happen the rest of this west coast trip.

However, it appears that he was going to play in the game on Wednesday night in Los Angeles against the Clippers, but he is listed as out due to a league suspension.

What this means is that Embiid will begin serving his three-game suspension for shoving Philadelphia Inquire columnist Marcus Hayes on Saturday night on Wednesday and then miss the following two games in LA against the Lakers and on Sunday in Charlotte.

Get our free mobile app

After serving the three-game suspension, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, Embiid will make his season debut on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks.

Without Embiid, the Sixers have struggled, starting 1-5, playing four of those games without both Embiid and Paul George. George made his season debut on Monday night in Phoneix, scoring 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal in 31 minutes.

One thing to keep an eye on is who is playing with Embiid out. Andre Drummond was signed in the offseason, but played in just 15 minutes on Monday, with Guerschon Yabusele played 30 minutes, scoring 19 points, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out six assists, adding one block, and five 3-pointers.

Will Yabusele continue to get the bulk of the minutes and be the main backup to Embiid or will Drummond be the team's main backup to at the center spot? Its something to watch how head coach Nick Nurse uses Yabusele and Drummond in the next three games.