The Philadelphia 76ers announced that Joel Embiid and Paul George will both miss Wednesday's season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Embiid, who did not play in the preseason due to left knee injury treatment, will miss not only Wednesday's game, but also Friday's game in Toronto and Sunday's game in Indiana. The 76ers said Embiid is “responding well to his individual plan” and will step up his return-to-game activities this week, including conducting scrimmages.

George will be re-evaluated later this week after suffering a left knee hyperextension that resulted in a bone bruise on Oct. 14 against the Atlanta Hawks.

The status of the other currently injured 76ers player, rookie Jared McCain, will be updated for Wednesday's game later on Tuesday after he suffered a bruised lung in a bad fall against the Brooklyn Nets last week.

At the start of training camp, the 76ers made it clear that they would take an extremely cautious approach with Embiid and George in getting through the season and into the playoffs healthy. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told ESPN earlier this month that Philadelphia would try to prevent both stars from meeting this season.

Embiid has lost 25 to 30 pounds in hopes of losing even more and will continue to wear a brace on his left knee, although Embiid would rather not do so, opting instead to keep it as structurally stable and protected as possible hold .

Due to knee injuries, Embiid only played 39 games last season. He returned in time to play in the playoffs against the New York Knicks, but he managed less than 100 percent — and that was before he struggled with a sudden case of Bell's palsy during the series. Embiid played for Team USA this summer and helped the Americans win their fifth straight gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

George signed a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the 76ers this summer after spending the last five years with the LA Clippers alongside Kawhi Leonard. Embiid signed a maximum three-year contract extension this summer to remain with the only franchise he ever played for well into his mid-30s.

The 76ers also signed rising star guard Tyrese Maxey to a five-year maximum contract, re-signed veterans Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry and signed free agents Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond.