The Philadelphia 76ers announced Friday morning that star center Joel Embiid has cleared the NBA's concussion protocol and is ready to play in the team's Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat.
In the first two games of the 76ers first-round series in Miami, he missed due to a facial injury and concussion he sustained when he was hit in the head by a Toronto Raptors player.
76ers guard Tyrese Maxey said after the shootaround that they were just preparing to win the game. It's great if he plays. If he doesn't play, he doesn't play, and we're just preparing as a game that we have to win.
With the concussion protocol behind him, he still needs to be cleared to play through the facial injury, which would require him to wear a mask. After colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz in the first two games of the Philadelphia 76ers first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, the big man missed three weeks.
Philadelphia struggled without its best player, who was named a finalist for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for a second consecutive season. In the two games in Miami, the 76ers were a combined 14-for-64 from 3-point range and had no answers for the All-Star center, who averaged 23.5 points and 10.5 rebound on 71.4% shooting over the two games.
The Heat are waiting to see if Kyle Lowry will be able to play in Game 3. The Philadelphia-born star, who had been listed as out for the first two games of the series, was upgraded to questionable on Thursday.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
