The Philadelphia 76ers are taking on the Atlanta Hawks after three days off. The Sixers will look to get back in the win column after suffering a pair of brutal losses. They will be shorthanded, though, as they head to State Farm Arena. Is Joel Embiid playing tonight vs. the Hawks?

Is 76ers' Joel Embiid playing tonight vs. the Hawks? 

Embiid has been ruled out with left knee swelling after missing the 76ers' recent practices. It will be his second missed game in a row and his ninth overall.

Embiid hurt his ankle and knee in a game this past Friday against the New York Knicks and missed the 76ers' previous game against the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back. He wore a big wrap on his knee at practice on Monday. While he has once again been playing at an MVP level, the amount of games he has missed will jeopardize his chance of winning the award again.

Robert Covington is also out for the 76ers due to left knee swelling while De'Anthony Melton is listed as questionable with lumbar spine soreness. The Hawks have listed Trae Young (right shoulder soreness) as probable and Clint Capela (right Achilles soreness), Wesley Matthews (right calf soreness) and Kobe Bufkin (G League assignment) as questionable. Atlanta has also ruled out De'Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation), Vit Krejci (left shoulder subluxation), Mouhamed Gueye (right low back stress fracture) and Garrison Matthews (left ankle sprain).

The question of whether Joel Embiid playing tonight has been answered: he will be ruled out. The 76ers have a record of 2-6 this season without the big man and will try to improve that record against the Hawks.