Joel Embiid and Paul George, two of the Philadelphia 76ers' best players, will not play in their season-opening against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Knee issues are affecting both players.
Embiid will likely miss the rest of the week, which includes games on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday and the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
After a re-evaluation for a bone bruise later this week, George, who signed with the Sixers as a free agency this past offseason, might make his debut.
Following his selection by Philadelphia in the 2014 NBA Draft in the first round, Embiid missed two seasons due to a foot ailment. In 433 games for the Sixers, he has averaged 27.9 points and 11.2 rebounds.
George, 34, played 74 games for the Clippers last season, averaging 22.6 points and 5.2 rebounds. In 867 games (819 starts) across 14 NBA seasons, he has averaged 20.8 points per game with 6.3 rebounds with the Pacers (2010–17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–19), and the Clippers.
After sustaining a complicated leg fracture during an offseason scrimmage for Team USA, George only appeared in six games during the 2014–15 campaign. A damaged elbow ligament limited the nine-time All-Star's 2021–22 playing time to just 31 games.