Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid plans to return to action against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, ESPN reports.

The All-Star big man has missed each of Philadelphia's eight contests after the All-Star break due to left knee soreness. The Sixers split those eight games without Embiid, and are on a two game losing skid.

Embiid reportedly felt soreness in his knees after the All-Star break, and opted to proceed with caution in dealing with his knee issue. The Sixers would have to make sure their franchise center is fully healthy in mid-April if they want to have a deep run in this year's playoffs.

This is going to be an important contest for the Sixers. They are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and are just a game behind the third-seeded Pacers.

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A win over Indiana would put them on equal footing with the Pacers, who have valiantly remained competitive despite losing its All-Star guard Victor Oladipo for the rest of the season. Likewise, a victory would  further solidify their chances of securing home court advantage in the first round.

Surely, Philadelphia is not out of the woods yet. The fifth place Boston Celtics, which have been a let down for the most part of the season, are surging right now and are just a half game behind them.

A first round exit would prove to be devastating for the Sixers, given that they went all in with surrounding their rising star tandem of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons with All-Star-caliber talent in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris.

The Sixers still have a lot to iron out as they try to integrate their mid-season acquisitions into their system. Nonetheless, Embiid's return should provide a spark for Philadelphia, which is looking to make a late-season push to move up the standings.