It is increasingly looking like Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid will not be playing in Game 1 of the Sixers’ 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals series with the Boston Celtics as he continues to nurse a sprained ankle back to health.
Embiid was set to be re-evaluated on Thursday, and the Sixers organization has understandably been reticent to share much information regarding the Cameroonian center’s health status to maintain as much of a competitive advantage as possible. But on Saturday, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers let it slip that Embiid is unlikely to take the court in Game 1 according to Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck.
“Doctors looked at him and he didn’t do anything today,” related Rivers, referring ot the team’s practice session and Embiid’s lack of participation in it.
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“I’ll say this, if I was a betting man I would say doubtful for at least Game 1, but we’ll see,” he added.
The Celtics would be heavily favored in any series without Embiid, and in any games without him in a series they are already slightly favored to advance from. However, it may be possible for the MVP candidate to play in a brace of his condition improves enough to get greenlight by doctors.
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