The Philadelphia 76ers improved to 3-0 in the 2026-27 NBA season with a 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. However, with Philadelphia preparing for its first back-to-back of the season, the focus soon turned to Joel Embiid's availability for Sunday's game against the Detroit Pistons, given the team's ongoing concerns about his health.

Following the victory, the 32-year-old made it clear that he wanted to play on Sunday and jokingly asked reporters to pressure the 76ers into allowing him to suit up for the second game. The former NBA MVP acknowledged that he had no confirmation about his status but expressed his willingness to take the court.

“I have no idea. I actually want to play tomorrow, so can you guys put pressure on them? I don't know,” said Embiid after Saturday's win. “You don't have to ask them, but obviously, you got three days off. Could have been two, but you get three days off.

“But it doesn't really matter. It's all about the season going well. So I guess the more time you can get to recover, the better, and then get used to it. But yeah, I want to play tomorrow. So I'll start writing articles.”

Embiid's desire to play comes despite a history of availability concerns. He has not played more than 40 games in a season since appearing in 66 games during the 2022-23 campaign. Over the following three seasons, he played 39, 19 and 38 games, respectively, with knee problems and multiple surgeries contributing to his absences.

Philadelphia must also weigh Embiid's workload in the victory over Milwaukee, where he logged 36 minutes. The team has continued managing his playing time to reduce the risk of further setbacks.

Article Continues Below

The 76ers are also dealing with limited depth at center. Ariel Hukporti is out for the season, Tacko Fall has not resumed practicing with the team, and Jabari Walker tweaked his knee against the Bucks.

Meanwhile, Embiid has performed well individually through Philadelphia's first three games. He recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists versus Milwaukee, completing a triple-double. He is averaging 21.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, along with one steal and one block.