Until Joel Embiid was hurt, the Philadelphia 76ers looked like one of the best teams in the playoffs.
Here’s the latest on Joel Embiid’s injury situation
The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the best teams so far this season, yet they have only played a week. After quickly dispatching the sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets (4-0 in series), they will likely face the first-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
The Sixers have one major worry, though, as they go on to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. And it all on on Joel Embiid, their MVP.
After suffering a knee injury in Game 3, Embiid sat out Game 4. Embiid will have at least a week to recover from his knee injury before the Eastern Conference semifinals begin, but that’s no guarantee he’ll be able to play.
The Sixers’ head coach, Doc Rivers, expressed concern by saying that Embiid was only “50 %” healthy and doubted that he would be available for the start of the team’s second-round series.
It’s a shame that Embiid will have to risk aggravating an existing ailment by playing into the playoffs.
In five of the last six seasons, Embiid has missed at least one postseason game due to injury or sickness. Embiid missed the first two games of Philadelphia’s second-round series against the Miami Heat in 2021-22 after suffering a facial fracture and concussion late in Game 6 of the first round against the Toronto Raptors.
Everything points to his having to play through agony once more. A knee injury, though, calls for extra caution. Because of this, it is difficult to say whether Embiid will be available for the beginning of the conference semifinals.
In any case, the Sixers will need a healthy Embiid if they want any shot at advancing past the Celtics in the conference semifinals. With even a 50% Embiid, I don’t see the Sixers winning more than one game against a good Boston club.
The severity of Embiid’s injuries will become more apparent in the coming days. It is hoped that after a week or so of recuperation, he will be in a very different place emotionally and mentally.
However, there is no assurance of such. And you have to feel for the Sixers, who are finally finding their rhythm as a team.
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