There are four NBA games today in the evening slate with several injuries to note and questionable players. We'll analyze one key situation in this piece: the Houston Rockets at Philadelphia 76ers.
Note: The information below is as of 3 p.m. ET. For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out our live news feed and follow us on Twitter.
76ers C Joel Embiid (back) and SG Jimmy Butler (wrist) are questionable.
Injury background: Embiid is listed questionable for the third consecutive game on Monday due to a tight back. Butler has been added to the injury report with a sore right wrist and is also questionable to play.
Tonight's impact: Embiid has played in each of the last two games after being a game-time decision on both occasions. Despite looking less than 100 percent in pre-game warmups, he has totaled 69 minutes and shown no ill effects. The team usually has video of Embiid warming up, which should allow us to gather a read on his status before news is official.
Butler is dealing with a new injury, and it's possible the Sixers added him to the report for precautionary reasons. He and Wilson Chandler recently missed two games due to an illness, and Furkan Korkmaz and Jonah Bolden entered the starting lineup.
If Butler is unable to suit up, Korkmaz is a likely candidate to draw the start, and he's averaged 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in six prior starts this season.
Ben Simmons would become an elite option if either Embiid or Butler are ruled out. With both players off the court since Butler was acquired, Simmons has seen a +7.6% usage rate increase, while J.J. Redick has led the team with a +11.4% usage rate increase, per the On/Off tool.
Simmons carries a Bargain Rating of 99% on DraftKings with a salary of $8,600, and he'd make for arguably the slate's strongest play. If just Embiid is out, Mike Muscala opens up as a value option at just $3,500 on FanDuel. He's averaged 22.33 FanDuel points in the three games without Embiid this season.
The Sixers are currently four-point favorites, and each injury has drastic consequences.
If Butler is unable to suit up, the Sixers lose a key defensive player to stick on MVP James Harden, who is averaging 44.4 points per game this month. Without Embiid, the Sixers drop from a +7.3 Net Rating to a -3.8 Net Rating.
Tracking both statuses up to tip-off is crucial to finding any success in handicapping the game on either side.
