After missing Wednesday’s win in Washington due to illness, Joel Embiid returned on Friday and delivered 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in a victory over Minnesota.
Following the game, Embiid addressed the confusion from earlier in the week, when he expressed surprise on social media after being ruled out against the Wizards.
Reports indicated he was still dealing with illness after missing shootaround, but Embiid said he wasn’t expecting to be sidelined.
“I was pissed off,” Embiid said. “I wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball. So I think this is more of a question (for president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey and whoever makes the decisions.”
He explained that he had been very sick earlier in the week but was still hoping to play, even as his condition fluctuated.
“Then after that, I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night,” he said. “So yeah, that kind of caught me off guard and, yeah, that pissed me off. But then again, I guess they make the decisions, so it doesn’t matter what I think or not. I’ve just got to follow.”
The situation highlighted a rare disconnect between Embiid and the Sixers regarding his availability, as the team made the final call to hold him out.
Despite the tension, Philadelphia secured an important win and remains in the playoff mix, though the team will look to stay aligned with its star as it enters a tougher stretch of games.
Embiid ‘Pissed Off’ About Not Playing Wednesday, Calls Out Morey pic.twitter.com/yB0TZFyIsN
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 4, 2026