We now know the details of Joel Embiid’s knee injury and how it could affect the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.
according to Ramona ShelburneJoel Embiid won’t be healthy for the Sixers’ next series against the Celtics or Hawks. While he will play in the series, he will play through the LCL twist. He may not play Game 1 or Game 2 but he will definitely return at some point in the series.
Shelburne added that the recovery time for this injury is one to two weeks. While she said he could come back, she established that he wouldn’t be healthy in the series. This latest development isn’t really anything new as Doc Rivers has said it would be in “50 percent” Healthy in the best case scenario in the second round.
Obviously, Philly fans should be rooting for the Hawks to extend their series against the Celtics as long as possible, giving Embiid more time to rest. They got a break last night when Trae Young left but need another Hawks win in Game 6 to extend the series even further.
Can the 76s survive an injured Joel Embiid?
So far in the playoffs, a lot of teams have been underperforming. Pending three straight Bucks wins, it really looks like the East will fall to a potential Celtics and 76ers series in the second round.
Yes, it would be hard to beat New York or Miami, but with the amount of talent both of those teams have, they should be heavily favored. The Celtics blew their chance to have the Sixers on their heels by forcing them to play without at least a full healthy embrace.
The NBA big guy won’t be completely healthy for the series, but he does have two more days of rest that the Sixers will surely appreciate. Looking at the long haul, Embiid has been injured for at least part of every postseason run they’ve made while he’s on the roster.
It’s an off-season question but one can wonder how this might affect Harden staying in Philly and not returning to Houston in free agency. This injury and many others in the post-season reflect the fact that Embiid should always have his co-star in the tournament.
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