The Philadelphia 76ers have a very important matchup on deck against the Boston Celtics. The Sixers have split their season series against their hated rival so far this season and hope to take the lead back by winning in TD Garden on Friday night. But there is a major question regarding Philly's key player to ask ahead of the showdown: Is Joel Embiid playing tonight vs. the Celtics?

Sixers' Joel Embiid injury update vs. Celtics

Originally listed as questionable to play on the team's injury report earlier on Friday, Joel Embiid will not play against the Celtics due to an illness, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. He missed the Sixers' last game, a huge loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, for the same reason. While Embiid traveled with the team to Boston, he missed Friday morning's shootaround.

Embiid has sat out just two games for the Sixers so far this season. The big man is averaging a league-leading 32.0 points per game, 11.3 rebounds and a career-best 6.6 assists per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field in 16 games. Without him playing, Philly will have a very tough time defeating the Celtics.

Jaden Springer (illness) and Nicolas Batum (right finger soreness) are listed as probable to play while Danuel House Jr. (left quad contusion) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (rib soreness) remain out, though the latter is aiming for a return soon after being hit by a car a couple of weeks ago. Breakout star Tyrese Maxey is also questionable to play and will be a game-time decision, as he is also dealing with an illness.

Meanwhile, the Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis due to a left calf strain.

The question of whether Joel Embiid is playing tonight vs. the Celtics has yet to be answered. Be on the lookout for an update ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off.