Tyrese Maxey set to return against Knicks, another Sixer catches an illness

As league-wide play resumes following the conclusion of the Emirates NBA Cup, the Sixers will have a familiar face back in the lineup for their road tilt against the New York Knicks on Friday.

Tyrese Maxey, who missed Philadelphia's last two games with an illness, is not listed on the initial injury report for the first matchup between the Knicks and Sixers this season.

The star guard told reporters that he felt "better, way better" at Wednesday's practice.

Paul George is not listed on the injury report, either.

Joel Embiid, who played on one day's rest for the first time this season in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, is listed as 'questionable' due to an illness.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Trendon Watford (straiend left adductor) have "progressed to on-court individualized workouts" but will remain out.

Rookies Johni Broome and Junter Sallis (two-way) are both listed as 'doubtful' due to G-League assignments.

On the other side of the court, the Knicks have yet to release an injury report for Friday's game because they will be visiting the Indiana Pacers on Thursday for the first night of a back-to-back. Their injury report will be revealed closer to game time on Friday.

However, they have a litany of players out heading into Thursday's game:

We'll see if that handful from the newly-minuted NBA Cup champs miraculously recovers after missing Thursday's game against the lowly Pacers, just in time to host the Sixers on Friday.

Speaking of back-to-backs, the Sixers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. There has been no public word about Embiid being cleared for play on back-to-back days, although it would be stunning if Sunday's milestone satisfied Philadelphia enough to let him suit up two nights in a row. If this illness isn't too bad and Embiid is still ruled unavailable for Friday's game in New York, perhaps he'll suit up for Saturday's bout against Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks.

Maybe one of these days, Philadelphia will get all of Maxey, Embiid and George on the floor together. The star trio has logged just 82 possessions together this season, per Cleaning The Glass. If it feels like it's always something keeping one or two of the three out, that's because it is. If this group is going to realize its ceiling, those three need to start getting experience playing together.