The Philadelphia 76ers are closely monitoring and managing Joel Embiid’s injury as they wait for the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks to wrap up their Eastern Conference first-round series. According to reports, Joel Embiid has a sprained LCL and may wear a knee brace in the semifinal round. He sustained the injury early in the third quarter of Game 3 and was sidelined for Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets. Although he has been watching game film, he has not done any physical activities yet in preparation for the second round of the playoffs.
– Ja Morant (hand) missed Game 2
– Kawhi Leonard (knee) missed Game 3 and is OUT for Game 4
– Tyler Herro (hand) missed half of Game 1 and is OUT 4-6 weeks
– Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) missed half of Game 1, Game 2, QUESTIONABLE for Game 3
– Joel Embiid (knee) is OUT for Game 4…— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 22, 2023
76ers coach Doc Rivers provided an update on how ready Embiid will be when Game 1 of the semifinals begins. “I just don’t know,” Rivers said. “I would say, right now, it’s probably the same percentage I said before the game … probably 50 percent, at best. From my understanding, they checked his knee out right after the game because he was complaining about some soreness behind the knee, which is always a scary thing to hear about with players.”
The status of the big man has resulted in concern from the fanbase with Game 1 of the second round on Saturday should the Celtics finish off the Hawks. If Embiid misses games in the second round, the 76ers will need quality contributions from their other players, including Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, De’Anthony Melton, Georges Niang, Jalen McDaniels, P.J. Tucker, and James Harden.
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Harden, who combined with Maxey and Harris to score 58 points in Game 4 against the Nets, will need to step up and be more aggressive in the second round. He averaged 17.3 points per game on 34.3% shooting, including 42.4% from 3-point range, 81.8% from the free-throw line, with 8.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. To get past the second round, the 76ers will need Harden to balance his scoring with his elite vision and knack for playmaking.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Embiid’s status, the 76ers remain confident in their team’s ability to compete. “We feel like we’ve got a lot of guys that can step up and play,” Rivers said. “Obviously, we hope Joel is ready, but if he’s not, we feel like we’ve got enough to still win.”
In the end, the health of Joel Embiid will be a key factor in the 76ers’ success in the playoffs. If he is unable to play or limited in any way, the team will need to rely on their other players to step up and fill the void. With James Harden leading the charge, the 76ers will look to continue their playoff run and compete for a championship.
The Fate of the Philadelphia 76ers Rests on the Health of Joel Embiid: Will the All-Star Center be Fit to Lead his Team to Victory?
The Philadelphia 76ers are eyeing their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2001 but face a tough challenge in the second round against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics, with their impressive record of 57-25 in the regular season, are leading the Atlanta Hawks 3-1 in the first round of playoffs and are expected to finish the series soon to face the Sixers in the semifinals.
However, the Sixers might face this challenge without their key player Joel Embiid, who is struggling with a knee injury. Though his status for the second round is not yet confirmed, the team is closely monitoring and managing his injury. Embiid missed Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets due to the injury and could potentially wear a knee brace in the semifinals.
If the Celtics beat the Hawks in Game 5, they could play their first game against the Sixers in late April, while the second round of playoffs is scheduled to begin on May 1 and 2. However, if the series goes to seven games, the Sixers will have more time to rest and recover, which is essential for Embiid’s potential return. It will be a challenging task for the Sixers to beat the Celtics, particularly if Embiid is unable to play. They have lost to the Celtics in the playoffs previously, and during the 2022-23 regular season, the Celtics won three out of four games against the Sixers.
