By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Philadelphia 76ers are the first team through to the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs with Joel Embiid getting extra days off to recover from a right knee sprain.
“I just don’t know,” head coach Doc Rivers replied to a question about when the Cameroonian center will be cleared to return to action.
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals best-of-seven series will be scheduled depending on the length of the Quarterfinals series between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. Game 4 follows on NBA Sundays. Back in Boston, Game 5 will be held Tuesday. If necessary, Game 6 will be played in State Farm Arena Thursday and Game 7 in TD Garden Saturday.
The Celtics currently lead 2-1, but the Sixers finished their own series with a winning display in the opener of yesterday’s NBA Saturdays edition.
Embiid, 29, returned to Philadelphia for an MRI before Game 4 in Barclays Center. He was hurt early in the third quarter of Game 3 but stayed on the court and behind a clutch block helped his side go up 3-0.
“From my understanding, they checked his knee out right after the game because he was complaining about some soreness behind the knee,” noted Rivers in the buildup to Game 4.
Without Embiid, Philadelphia swept the series and now awaits the next opponent and the league scheduling Game 1 likely between the next edition of NBA Saturdays and the following Monday to further consider the status of the MVP candidate.
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