Joel

Embiid

Ankle and hip injuries kept Embiid out of Wednesday’s Game 2 defeat. While Andre Drummond started, the 76ers were more effective with either Adem Bona or Dominick Barlow at the five, specifically to deal with the two-man game between New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. If Embiid remains out, expect to see more of Bona and Barlow.

Embiid was given a probable tag on Tuesday with an ankle sprain, but he’s also dealing with right hip soreness, and the two injuries will keep him out for at least one contest. The 76ers got blown out by the Knicks in Game 1 with Embiid on the court, and the team will have an even more daunting task on Wednesday with the star big man on the sideline. Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will fill in at center, while Tyrese Maxey and Paul George will have to shoulder the load as scorers.

Embiid is back on the 76ers’ injury report, although the reason ahead of Game 2 is due to a sprained right ankle. He only logged 25 minutes in Game 1, as the 76ers trailed by 31 points at the end of the third quarter. Embiid is listed as probable, so he should be on the court Wednesday night. If not, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will figure more prominently in the rotation.

Having just finished their seven-game series with the Celtics on Saturday, Embiid and the 76ers did not have the “juice” on Monday. While it’s never good to get blown out, the 7-footer played just 25 minutes in Game 1, getting some valuable rest ahead of Wednesday’s Game 2. Embiid did take a shot to the midsection during the second quarter, which is a concern given the fact that he underwent an appendectomy late in the regular season. However, he remained in the game, so this may not be a major concern heading into Game 2.

Embiid is good to go after initially being listed as probable on the injury report. The 76ers will stick with their preferred starting lineup, with Embiid being joined by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.

Embiid showed up on Sunday’s injury report with a hip contusion, likely sustained in Game 7 of the Sixers’ victory over the Celtics. The former league MVP got a late start to the postseason due to recovery from a late-season appendicitis surgery. Embiid averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games in the first-round win over Boston. He’ll look to have similar dominance against the Knicks to begin the Eastern Conference Semifinals, should he be available to play on Monday.

Embiid recorded three double-doubles in the final four games of this series, helping Philadelphia eliminate Boston from the postseason for the first time since 1982. Boston called on Jaylen Brown to defend Embiid at times, with Neemias Queta providing the help, and the former league MVP managed to put up 34 points. There was an injury scare late, as teammate Tyrese Maxey fell into Embiid’s left knee, which led to him watching the final 20 seconds from the bench. Philadelphia won’t have much time to rest, as they visit the Knicks for Game 1 of that series on Monday.

The 76ers will be at full strength for Saturday’s series decider, as Embiid has been upgraded from probable to available. He’ll take on his usual role as the starting center, leaving limited minutes for Andre Drummond and Adem Bona off the bench.

Embiid is on the 76ers’ initial injury report for Game 7, but it would be stunning if the 7-footer were not on the court Saturday night. He finished Game 6 two assists shy of a triple-double as Philadelphia extended the series. Look for Embiid to take on his usual heavy workload as the 76ers look to beat the Celtics in a playoff series for the first time since 1982.

In his third game back on the floor, Embiid put forth another solid performance. He didn’t shoot the ball efficiently but still nearly found his way to the 20-point mark. The former league MVP made up for his inefficient scoring with good work on the glass and tremendous work as a facilitator. His balanced performance nearly led to a triple-double, which helped the Sixers force a Game 7.