Game 1 was a blowout. Game 2 just got a lot more complicated for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers head to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night to face the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. ET, already down 1-0 in the series after a 137-98 beatdown in the opener. Jalen Brunson ran the show for New York with 35 points on efficient shooting and the Knicks were never really threatened.
Philadelphia had all five starters reach double figures, with Paul George leading at 17 points, but none of that matters much now. Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2.
According to Shams Charania, Embiid was unable to participate in Wednesday morning's shootaround due to increased soreness in both his ankle and hip. The 76ers had listed him as probable heading into the day, which made the late scratch even more of a gut punch.
He has been receiving around-the-clock treatment to stay on the floor but his condition took a turn. It is not the first time Embiid has had to fight through something serious this postseason.
Joel Embiid's Injury Timeline Raises Concern
What makes the situation harder to read is how quickly his status has shifted across this postseason. He missed the first three games against the Boston Celtics after an appendectomy before returning to average 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists over the final four games of that series. Now a different set of issues has resurfaced.
His injury report has moved from post-surgery recovery to a right hip contusion and now includes a right ankle sprain. The ankle isn't a new problem either. It first appeared on the injury report December 27 and showed up again as recently as February 3. Its return ahead of Game 2 adds another layer of concern for a team that already looked overmatched in the series opener.
With Embiid out, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond are expected to handle the center duties. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Paul George will need to carry a heavier offensive load. The Knicks already have the edge. Without Embiid, that gap only gets wider.
