Joel Embiid has not played in six straight games since December of 2023. That streak is not getting equaled in these playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers have ruled Embiid out for Game 2 of their playoff series against the Knicks due to a right ankle sprain and hip soreness, the team announced after shootaround on Wednesday. Embiid has been receiving treatment for his soreness but could not participate in the team’s shootaround, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Philadelphia trails New York 1-0 in their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. Philadelphia needs a bounce-back game. The 76ers were coming off an intense Game 7 against Boston 48 hours before, and they looked tired and flat in that opening game, while Jalen Brunson and the Knicks have found their groove and are playing their best basketball of the playoffs.
Philadelphia did win Game 2 on the road against Boston in that first-round series after dropping Game 1, behind a 59-point showing by the backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
However, it was Embiid coming back early from an appendectomy that turned that series around. Embiid was playing through pain and spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Noah Levick about it.
“The one thing about me is I’ve dealt with a lot of stuff over my career. I don’t complain. I just want to give as much as I can every single time I step on the floor. I know a lot of people might have takes that I might be lazy or whatever, but every single time I’m on the floor, I want to play as hard as possible…
“I just want to play basketball, whether (or not) I’m in good shape physically, mentally or whatever. I just want to enjoy these moments being part of a basketball team that’s trying to accomplish something, and that’s to win every single game.”
With Embiid out, 76ers coach Nick Nurse will lean heavily on Andre Drummond and Adem Bona.
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