Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid is on track to return to the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday’s second round series against the Boston Celtics barring setbacks in his injured right knee, league sources tell The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:
- Embiid, who was announced as league MVP last night, turned to his teammates during a brief celebration by the 76ers and said: “I’m back,” league sources told The Athletic.
- Embiid originally suffered what the team calls a sprained right knee on April 20 during Game 3 of the 76ers’ first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets. He has missed the 76ers’ last two playoff games — Game 4 against Brooklyn in the first round and Game 1 against Boston on Monday — with the injury.
- Embiid was initially listed as doubtful about returning in Game 2, with league sources telling The Athletic the injury was considered more serious than a Grade 1 LCL sprain.
backstory
Embiid’s shelf life has long been an issue. The Sixers star missed the first two NBA seasons with complications from a fractured scaphoid in his right foot and has missed an average of 23 games in the seven seasons since then. He’s also missed at least one playoff game in five of his six postseason games, although his absence in the first two games of last season’s second round against the Miami Heat was due to a concussion and a right orbital fracture.
The 76ers lead the series 1-0 against the Celtics after winning Game 1 away on Monday. James Harden, Embiid’s star running mate, led with 45 points including a 3-point win over Al Horford.
Can the Sixers fully control this series now?
After stealing home field advantage in Game 1, the Sixers play with some house money in Boston tonight. With a win, they take complete control of the series. But even if they lose, they will return to a harsh Philly environment. It remains to be seen how Embiid will look upon his return, but if he’s anything like his normal self, the Sixers now have a much better chance of playing another game in Boston. — Rich Hofman
What Sixers fans should see with Embiid
I will keep two things in mind. The first is how he moves because Boston has the staff to play with five attacks and let him cover a lot of ground on defense. Embiid should solve some of the Sixers’ defensive problems — it was a layup line for Boston early in Game 1 when they shot over 70 percent from the field in the first half — but Horford and the Celtics have usually countered Embiid’s rim guard with shooting.
The second thing is how much Embiid plays; Almost two weeks have passed since his last game. Backup center Paul Reed is usually told to play 10 minutes a game when Embiid is healthy, but could that number be closer to 20 on Tuesday? Even under the best of circumstances, Embiid could need a few games to regain his condition, while Reed has performed well under pressure. — Hofmann
The Celtics loss in Game 1 is now bigger
Once upon a time the Celtics could limit Embiid as well as any other team. That hasn’t been the case for a long time. He was averaging 36.8 points per game against Boston that season, with an incredible 52 point performance (on 20 of 25 shots) late in the season. Will he be able to reach that level after a knee injury? How effective will it be?
Even with Embiid healthy, the Celtics challenge him on the defensive end of the court with Horford’s ability to circulate the ground. If Embiid is having trouble getting close to the perimeter, Boston could potentially take advantage. But he’s the MVP. He’ll put a ton of pressure on their defense, which hasn’t bothered opponents nearly enough in the last five games. His return early in the series is a big reason the Celtics might regret not making it through Game 1 when he was still sidelined at the knee. – Jay King
How is Boston’s strategy changing now?
The 76ers’ schedule without Embiid worked as well as they hoped in Game 1, so how do things change with his return? Boston’s offense tried to get as deep in the paint as possible against Reed and PJ Tucker in Game 1. The Celtics used all kinds of back cuts while pushing in transition to expose Philly’s backline. You can’t sneak behind defenses when Embiid is out there, assuming he can move.
Embiid will give them room to pull up and shoot, so Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will have to lock their shot in a way they haven’t consistently been able to this season. You have to force Embiid out of the paint and move him sideways. This is the greatest weakness for someone with a sprained knee. The more Boston can push him out of his comfort zone on defense, the greater the chance they’ll have to limit him when he has the ball. – Jared Weiss
required reading
Reich Hofmann: Joel Embiid’s rise to NBA MVP: The Process and the people who drove him
Hofmann: How James Harden made the Sixers steal Game 1 in Boston without Joel Embiid
Jared Weiss: Celtics were primed for the 76ers without Joel Embiid but still couldn’t stop James Harden
Jay King, Weiss and Hofmann: Celtics Sixers preview: Can the 76ers survive Joel Embiid’s injury? predictions and more
King: The key to the Celtics’ offensive turnaround? Teamwork, trust and lots of ‘randomness’
(Photo: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)