Sixers’ Joel Embiid to play vs. Nets in NBA playoffs opener
The two-time All-Star center missed the final two regular-season games and 14 of the 24 games after the All-Star break with the injury.
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Joel Embiid will participate Saturday in Game 1 of the 76ers’ opening-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets despite his left knee tendinitis making him doubtful leading into the game.
The two-time All-Star center missed the final two regular-season games and 14 of the 24 games after the All-Star break with the injury.
On Friday, Embiid said he’s been able to play with the pain, but that recently it has become worse. The 25-year-old missed Friday’s practice.
“Even within the pain, it is still possible [to play], but whatever I have been feeling the past couple of days has been different. It still hasn’t changed,” he said Friday. “Everything is good on the scans but the pain level hasn’t changed. It got worse.”
Embiid is arguably one of the NBA’s top five players.
He ranked fourth in the league in scoring at 27.5 points per game. His average of 13.6 rebounds ranked second in the NBA. Embiid was also sixth in blocks (1.91).
He had a career-best 58 double-doubles, which were the fourth-most in the NBA and the most by a Sixers player since Charles Barkley posted 61 during the 1988-89 season.
Embiid has averaged 24.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.9 rebounds in 156 career games.