A day after being listed as doubtful and with lingering concerns over his long-term health, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid is now suddenly probable for the team’s Game 3 outing against the Miami Heat on Thursday night.
The NBA internal injury report now has Joel Embiid listed as probable.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) April 19, 2018
Having missed the past three weeks with a fractured orbital bone in the face, Embiid’s likely return is what we’d call a major surprise. After all, Sixers head coach Brett Brown didn’t seem overly optimistic on Wednesday.
Though, it must be noted that Embiid recently indicated that he’d return for either Game 2 or Game 3 of the series. This falls in line with his timeline. Equally as important, Embiid’s surgical team is the entity that had to clear him for a return to the court. It has very little to do with the team’s coaching staff or its doctors.
Philadelphia and Miami head into Game 3 with the series all tied at one. It’s not yet known whether Embiid will be on a minutes restriction for this game.