Paul George, Joel Embiid start playing
2 mins read

Paul George, Joel Embiid start playing

ORLANDO, Fla. – NBA Cup action rolls on as the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers kick off East Group A action Friday night. Tips are set for 19.00 inside the Kia Center.

Orlando, winners of four straight, defeated the Indiana Pacers by four Wednesday night to improve to 7-6 overall and 6-0 at home. In their first NBA Cup game on Tuesday, the Magic defeated the Charlotte Hornets by 25 points. On points difference, they sit atop East Group A heading into Friday.

The Sixers fell to 2-9 on Wednesday night after being the last to try, and fail, to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers this year. The night before in their NBA Cup opener, Philadelphia fell to New York by 12 points.

Ahead of the contest, here’s the latest on player health and status for each team.

Banchero is set to miss his ninth game with a torn right oblique in the fourth quarter of the Magic’s 102-99 loss at Chicago on Oct. 30.

Carter Jr. will miss his seventh straight contest with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The injury occurred in the first half of the Magic’s loss at Dallas on Nov. 3, and Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Tuesday that Carter Jr. “felt good” and that the 25-year-old center was “slowly developing”.

Maxey suffered his hamstring during the team’s Nov. 6 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and multiple reports indicated the All-Star guard would miss at least two weeks with the injury.

Drummond, who had 20 rebounds in the preseason meeting between these two teams this season, is questionable with an illness. 18:30 Friday update: Drummond, who was not present at the team’s shootaround Friday morning, is available for the contest vs. the Magic.

Perhaps more notable for the Sixers is who is *not* in the report. Paul George and Joel Embiid are both absent from the roster, meaning Philadelphia will have both available for Friday night, bar none.

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