UPDATE 7 p.m. ET: Quentin Grimes has been downgraded to out for Tuesday hosting the Bucks, listed with a right ankle sprain. Joel Embiid remains questionable and Paul George is still probable (both for left knee injury management) with just over an hour before tipoff.
It’s fitting that someone got dinged up in the worst loss of the season.
The Sixers released their injury report as they host the Milwaukee Bucks on the second leg of a back-to-back Tuesday. After not playing in the first leg in Charlotte, Joel Embiid and Paul George are both listed with left knee injury management. A key distinction is that Embiid is questionable where George is probable.
In the games he’s played in recently, Embiid had gotten the probable tag, so that’s worth keeping an eye on. He was favoring that leg after Ariel Hukporti inadvertently fell on him in the second half of a loss to the Knicks over the weekend. The only games Embiid has missed so far in the month of January have been resting parts of a back-to-back.
The new addition to the injury report is Quentin Grimes, listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain. This likely happened in the first quarter of the blowout loss to the Hornets Monday. Grimes was fouled shooting a three-pointer by Collin Sexton. Grimes didn’t leave the game at that point, but was definitely shaken up after landing on Sexton’s foot and rolling his ankle.
Perhaps a day off or two is something Grimes needs as well. Over his last 13 games he’s shooting 42.7% from the field and just 26.9% from three. If Grimes’ recent struggles won’t do it, perhaps missing time will open up an opportunity for Jared McCain to fight his way back into the rotation. After being out of it for six games, McCain got plenty of open run in garbage time against the Hornets to put up 16 points shooting 4-of-8 from three-point range.
For Milwaukee, they’ll be without Taurean Prince and Kevin Porter Jr., both of whom have been banged up all season. No absence looms larger though than Giannis Antetokounmpo, now missing an extended stretch due to a calf injury for the second time this season.
The Sixers should hope that their guys can go tonight, because a Giannis-less Bucks team is the perfect opportunity to bounce back from an embarrassing blowout from the night prior.
