Joel Embiid reportedly "on track" to play in Game 2 vs. Celtics
BOSTON -- While the 76ers listed Joel Embiid as doubtful on Tuesday night's injury report, the freshly named NBA MVP is reportedly "on track" to return against the Celtics in Wednesday night's Game 2 at TD Garden.
Embiid has missed the last three games with a knee injury that he suffered in the first round against the Brooklyn Nets. He worked out in Boston on Tuesday, and after being named MVP later that night, told his teammates that "I'm back," according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday that the team will not be rushing back their most important player. But he added that if Embiid is ready to play, he will play Wednesday night.
"If he can play, he plays,. If he can't, he can't," Rivers said Tuesday. "If it's 50-50, we would probably err on the other side (of sitting him) because we've done that all year. So we're not going to take any chances. When he's ready, he'll play."
Embiid's absence didn't hurt the 76ers too much in Game 1, as the 76ers stunned the Celtics at TD Garden with a 119-115 win to steal home-court advantage from Boston. James Harden led the way with 45 points in one of the finest postseason performances of his career, draining a go-ahead three with 8.4 seconds left to lift Philadelphia to the victory.
Stealing Game 1 gives the 76ers a little more wiggle room to give Embiid all the time that he needs to get healthy. But now it sounds like he's trending toward playing Wednesday night, which would make life a lot more difficult for the Celtics as they look to get back on track and tie the series before it shifts to Philadelphia.
