Philadelphia 76ers star center and NBA MVP Joel Embiid returned to action Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics after missing the previous two games with a knee injury.
Said injury seemed to impact Embiid big time as he scored just 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting in 27 minutes of action. Philadelphia was also minus-23 with the big man on the court as it lost Game 2 in blowout fashion.
Following his return to action and Philadelphia’s 34-point loss, Embiid talked with reporters about his injury. He doesn’t seem to be too concerned.
“I think I’ll be fine. I’ve played through a lot. We’ve got a big chance, and we’ve got to take advantage of it,” Joel Embiid on injury concerns.
Despite losing Game 2 in blowout fashion, the Philadelphia 76ers head home for Game 3 on Friday having stolen one in Boston. With the series tied at one, they have taken home-court advantage away from the Celtics. That’s no small thing in what promises to be a hotly contested series moving forward.
Related: Takeaways from Boston Celtics blowout win over Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers need Joel Embiid at near 100%
If this were the regular season, Embiid wouldn’t be suiting up. The LCL sprain he suffered in the first round of the NBA Playoffs typically requires 4-6 weeks of recovery time. Obviously, Embiid knows the significance of this series and was not going to sit it out.
Embiid’s return to action came one day after the former Kansas star won his first ever NBA MVP award in a landslide.
- Joel Embiid stats (2022-23): 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 55% shooting
Moving forward, there has to be some question about Embiid’s health and whether he’ll be seen as a negative on the court. If he’s not near 100%, issues will continue to arise when it comes to spacing for Philadelphia.
Even then, having Embiid at 70% is better than sitting him altogether. Dating back to the start of the 2020-21 season, Philadelphia owns a 27-24 record with Joel Embiid sidelined. It boasts a .686 winning percentage with Embiid in action during that span.