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Joel Embiid, out against Pistons, says he was upset over being held out Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid, who will not play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, said Friday night he was angry at Philadelphia 76ers management for not allowing him to play in Washington on Wednesday.

He was out for Saturday’s game with “right oblique; injury management; (and) illness.” He has not played in both games of a back to back all season.

Embiid was ruled out Wednesday due to an illness. He replied to a reporter’s post on social media that listed him as out by saying that he planned to play. He later posted, “I guess they won’t let me play basketball.”

After a 115-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Embiid expressed his displeasure with Daryl Morey, the 76ers president of basketball operations.

“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball,” Embiid said. “I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question of Daryl Morey or whoever makes the decisions.”

Embiid scored 26 points in 34 minutes in a 76ers loss Monday in Miami. He was not listed on the injury report but told reporters that he was ill. “Physically, I just was not in it.”

He said he had a short night’s sleep before Wednesday’s 153-131 win over the Wizards and wasn’t at a morning film session, after which he was ruled out.

“I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night,” Embiid said. “That kind of caught me off guard.”

Embiid was listed as doubtful on Thursday’s injury report for Minnesota, but played 34 minutes, totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he wasn’t concerned with the situation, praising Embiid for his play Friday.

“We handle it by keeping things basketball-related,” Nurse said Saturday before facing the Pistons. “He was at shootaround yesterday; he was excellent in the game yesterday, was really a great teammate and focused and all that stuff yesterday. So we just try to keep it all basketball-focused.”

Embiid has played 37 games this season, sidelined primarily by injury management in his knees. He’s averaged 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

The 32-year-old center missed 13 games after straining his right oblique on Feb. 26 against Miami.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Joel Embiid, out against Pistons, says he was upset over being held out Wednesday | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, left, and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, center, talk with Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, right, after an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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