CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a tough spot as they return home for Game 3 with the Miami Heat on Friday. They are down 0-2 and the status of Joel Embiid is still up in the air despite the fact that he has officially cleared concussion protocol.
As the Sixers convened for shootaround on Friday, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers have one thought on their mind: win the basketball game.
However, the thought of Embiid is still out there as he works his way back from an orbital fracture and a concussion.
“I talked to him,” Maxey said. “It’s always hopeful.”
With that being said, he and the Sixers are preparing as if Embiid isn’t coming back for this game. He is currently listed as out, but that could change over the next few hours before the 7 p.m. EDT tip.
“We’re just preparing to win the game,” Maxey added. “Hopefully, he plays. If he plays, great. If he doesn’t play, he doesn’t play and we just prepare it as another game and a game we have to win.”
Embiid is obviously a big game-changer for both sides. Philadelphia gets their best player back while the Heat now have to change their game plan to accommodate for the return of a big MVP candidate for the Sixers.
This will be a situation to keep an eye on leading up to game time from the Wells Fargo Center.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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