The Philadelphia 76ers will likely face one of the league’s hottest teams without their centerpiece. Joel Embiid has been listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s visit to the Toronto Raptors due to right knee injury management, while Paul George has been ruled out. It’s the kind of injury double blow that reshapes a game plan and shifts the betting board: Philadelphia has already been nudged into underdog territory on the road, with Toronto winning eight of its last nine.

For the 76ers, the headline is Embiid’s health—again, and understandably. The reigning MVP candidate has been out since Nov. 8 and is on track to miss his fifth straight game. The organization’s messaging has emphasized caution. Officially, the team lists him as doubtful and cites right knee management; there’s also a hint of strategic pacing with a back-to-back looming. There’s optimism he could return Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Embiid’s status: caution today, hope tomorrow

Embiid entered the season on a minutes program to ward off flare-ups in his left knee, a reality that has defined much of his recent workload. This current absence, however, has been tied to the right knee. The distinction matters less than the pattern: Philadelphia is protecting its franchise player in November so he’s whole in March, April, and beyond.

He has appeared in only six games so far, averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists—pedestrian by his standards but understandable given the careful ramp. If he sits in Toronto, it will be five straight on the shelf. The calculus is clear: choose a manageable absence now, preserve the ceiling later. The club’s officials and head coaches around the matchup have consistently framed his status as management and recovery, not a sudden setback.

“Is Philly playing chess with Embiid’s minutes or just surviving November?”

Paul George out: spacing, shot creation take a hit

Compounding the problem is the status of Paul George, who is out for the game. The ripple effect is immediate: fewer three-level scoring options, less late-clock relief, and a tighter margin for error against a Raptors team currently brimming with confidence. The 76ers can manufacture offense by committee, but George’s absence removes a dependable off-the-dribble creator and efficient spacer.

Against a Toronto defense that thrives on length and disruption, missing two primary engines narrows Philadelphia’s half-court playbook. Expect more drive-and-kick sequences, more paint touches by guards, and a premium on getting to the free-throw line to steady pace and control runs.

Maxey’s green light gets greener

With Embiid sidelined, Tyrese Maxey becomes Philadelphia’s north star. The numbers already reflect the shift: he’s averaging 23.6 shot attempts and 8.1 free throws per game this season. The mandate is simple—create advantages early in the clock, collapse the defense, and live at the stripe when the jumper isn’t falling. That usage will balloon again if Embiid sits and George remains out.

Maxey’s aggression is a feature, not a bug, in this stretch. It can mask some spacing limitations and force Toronto into rotation-heavy possessions. But there’s a cost: Minutes pile up, decision-making windows shrink, and the supporting cast must hit open looks to prevent the Raptors from loading up at the point of attack.

“Maxey’s green light is fun, but where are the easy buckets without Embiid?”

Raptors riding form, oddsmakers adjust

Toronto’s recent run—eight wins in nine—has changed the tone around this matchup. Momentum, home-court confidence, and a clearer identity have followed. That’s why oddsmakers are leaning Toronto, particularly with Philadelphia’s injury list crowded at the top. The Raptors are winning the effort metrics and playing with force; the 76ers, for now, are tasked with surviving the opening punches and dragging the game into the half-court where execution can narrow the gap.

Philadelphia’s defense looks different without Embiid’s rim deterrence. Rotations are a beat longer and the margin for error at the basket is thinner. That means fewer live-ball turnovers, controlled shot selection, and a paint-first philosophy on offense become non-negotiables. Any slippage, and Toronto’s form makes it unforgiving.

The load-management calculus

There’s a strategic logic to how Philadelphia is approaching this stretch. Embiid’s left knee was the preseason priority, and now the right knee has taken center stage. With a back-to-back on the schedule—Toronto today, Milwaukee tomorrow—the team’s decision-making suggests an eye toward giving Embiid the best chance to impact the more consequential of the two without overexposing him.

To be explicit, the 76ers have signaled that Embiid is doubtful tonight with right knee injury management and has been out since Nov. 8. There’s a belief he could be back on Nov. 20 against the Bucks if recovery benchmarks hold. That timeline aligns with the club’s emphasis on preserving his availability across the broader Eastern Conference race.

“If Toronto’s won eight of nine, this is a measuring-stick night for Philly’s depth.”

What it means right now—and what’s next

In the snapshot view, Wednesday likely becomes a test of resilience and resourcefulness for the 76ers. The absence of Embiid and George means a smaller margin for error and a heavier burden on Maxey. It also creates opportunity: role players expand into featured responsibilities, defensive schemes get trial-by-fire reps, and the coaching staff gathers data that can inform rotations when the roster is whole.

In the longer arc, the story is still Embiid’s availability. He’s only logged six games, and his 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists speak to controlled usage as much as production. A clean return against Milwaukee could quickly recalibrate Philadelphia’s outlook. The Eastern Conference will not wait, but the 76ers’ ceiling remains tied to Embiid’s health—and the organization is acting accordingly.

What to watch tonight

• Tyrese Maxey’s pace and whistle: does he crack double-digit free throws as the primary engine?
• Philadelphia’s half-court execution without Embiid post-ups: can they generate quality looks late in the clock?
• Raptors’ early runs: if Toronto’s energy pops in the first quarter, do the 76ers have the shot-making to withstand it?
• Bench minutes and lineup data: who earns trust in higher-usage roles with George out?

The bottom line is simple: Toronto has form and health on its side, Philadelphia brings a short-handed rotation and a star listed as doubtful. If the 76ers can grind this into a possession game and keep the free-throw battle close, they give themselves a puncher’s chance. If not, the Raptors’ momentum and depth likely carry the night. Either way, all eyes pivot to Thursday and the possibility of an Embiid return—a small window that could swing a week’s worth of results in the East.