Sixers’ Mike Scott returns to lineup for NBA playoffs series against Raptors
The key reserve missed the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with Toronto due to a right heel contusion/ plantar fasciitis in his right foot
After missing the first two playoff games against Toronto in the Eastern Conference semifinals, key reserve Mike Scott was predictably excited to return for Game 3 on Thursday night.
The 6-foot-8 Scott suffered a right heel contusion in the Sixers’ series-clinching win over the Brooklyn Nets on April 23. Before that injury, he said he had been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Scott stayed off the court for a week, returning Tuesday to do a little work, even though the Sixers didn’t practice. He increased his effort during practice Wednesday.
“I feel good, ready to take it for a little test, for a spin,” Scott said before the game.
The injury came a game after Scott hit the game-winning three-point shot in the Sixers 112-108 win over the Nets in Game 4.
“I was still hyped from that shot, and to come back in Game 5 it was really bad timing,” Scott said. “That is how things go.”
Scott was in Toronto with the Sixers for the first two games of this series when the teams split. He tried his best to contribute.
“It was tough, but just staying patient, talking to my teammates, just trying to be a voice, a leader,” he said. “They did what they needed to do.”
Scott made his first appearance with 4 minutes, 54 seconds left in the first quarter Thursday and received a huge ovation.
Greg Monroe, who suffered a left ankle sprain in the third quarter of the 94-89 win Monday and didn’t return, also played in Game 3.
Embiid, Siakam with some friendly trash talk, sort of
Sixers coach Brett Brown made several defensive adjustments in the Game 2 win. One of the moves was having center Joel Embiid guard power forward Pascal Siakam, matching up the two friends from Cameroon.
The 6-foot-9 Siakam took great pride that two players from the Central African country are competing against one another in this Eastern Conference semifinal series.
“I am blessed to be here, two Cameroon players in the NBA against each other, that is a dream,” Siakam said before Toronto’s morning shootaround. “It is fun.”
With the competition has come some good-natured trash talk.
“Embiid is funny,” said Siakam, who scored 29 points in Toronto’s Game 1 win and 21 (on 9-for-25 shooting) in the loss. “I think he is hilarious. We have little things that we say. It is not really trash talking.”
Thing weren’t too friendly between the two when Siakam was called for a Flagrant 1 foul for tripping Embiid with 10 minutes and 5 seconds left in Thursday’s fourth quarter.