Is Joel Embiid playing tonight? Latest injury update for 76ers vs. Celtics [UPDATED]
By Ian Levy
On Tuesday, Joel Embiid won his first NBA MVP. On Wednesday, his 76ers will take on the Celtics in Game 2. Will Embiid be healthy enough to play?
In the past two days, the Philadelphia 76ers have stolen homecourt advantage from the Boston Celtics and seen their star center, Joel Embiid become the franchise’s first MVP in more than two decades. However, they took Game 1 without Embiid, who is nursing a sprained knee and needed a masterful, 45-point, 6-assist performance from James Harden to get it done.
Game 2 will be on the road, against a Celtics team hungry for redemption and already talking about the defensive changes they need to make to slow down Harden. Getting Embiid back on the floor would be huge for the 76ers’ chances of stealing another road win and taking a 2-0 lead back to Philadelphia, but Doc Rivers has been cagey about health updates on Embiid.
Will Joel Embiid be available for Game 2 against the Celtics?
Embiid began the morning listed as doubtful according to the NBA’s official injury report. But mid-morning, Shams Charania reported that Embiid had told his teammates he would play in Game 2.
After winning MVP last night, during a quick 76ers celebration, Joel Embiid turned to the team and said: “I’m back.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 3, 2023
Embiid is indeed on track to return tonight in Game 2 vs. Celtics barring setbacks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
At Tuesday’s practice, Rivers was asked if the Sixers’ win in Game 1 might make Philadelphia more cautious, giving them the space to sit him out in Game 2, knowing they had already stolen homecourt advantage. He responded that it was strictly about how Embiid feels.
"“No, it’s just health-based. If he can play, he plays, If he can’t, he can’t. If it’s 50-50, we would probably err on the other side (of sitting him out) because we’ve done that all year. So we’re not going to take any chances. When he’s ready, he’ll play.”"
Given the announcement and Rivers’ comments yesterday, it seems safe to assume that Embiid will be pretty close to 100 percent against the Celtics tonight.
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