(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers were dealt a costly blow heading into their second-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics, with superstar center Joel Embiid being ruled out for Game 1 due to a sprained knee he suffered in the first round.
The 76ers will likely go as far as Embiid will take them in the postseason, which means his availability is crucial to the team’s success moving forward.
Losing Embiid for Game 1 on the road in the hostile environment of Boston is tough, but it seems Philadelphia was able to get some good news about his status on Monday.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is optimism about Embiid’s status for Game 2 in Boston.
ESPN Sources: Philadelphia Sixers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Game 1 vs. the Boston Celtics tonight with a sprained right knee. There is optimism of a possible return for Game 2 on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/AE8ksjKKmW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 1, 2023
The real question moving forward is how severe this knee sprain is and whether Embiid can play through pain when he can get back on the floor during this second-round series against the Celtics.
If Embiid can’t play at an MVP-caliber level in this series, the 76ers may already be doomed, as it’ll be incredibly tough to get the best of a very good Celtics team in a seven-game playoff series.
Philadelphia is a resilient team with a battle-tested head coach Doc Rivers and another superstar who has considerable playoff experience in James Harden, but Boston will be at full strength with the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being determined to avenge their loss in the NBA Finals last year.
With the way the playoffs have gone thus far, no team can be ruled out due to injury, and the 76ers are no different, but Philadelphia heads into this series at a disadvantage that may ultimately decide the series.
The post NBA Insider Reveals Joel Embiid’s Status For Game 2 appeared first on The Cold Wire.