Sixers’ Joel Embiid out for Game 4 against Nets with right knee sprain – NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — In his sixth career playoff appearance, Joel Embiid will be sidelined by injury for the fifth time.

The Sixers on Friday night ruled Embiid out with a right knee sprain for Game 4 of their first-round series against the Nets, which will tip off Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Brooklyn. 

Danuel House Jr. (non-COVID illness) was listed as questionable after sitting out the Sixers’ Game 3 victory Thursday night.

Embiid noticeably grabbed at his right knee on a couple of occasions and his mobility appeared to be hampered during Game 3’s second half. At the conclusion of one timeout, he hunched over at the Nets’ logo before the action eventually resumed. In 38 physical, high-drama minutes, Embiid ultimately posted 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting, 10 rebounds and two blocks as the Sixers took a 3-0 series lead. 

“I’m OK,” Embiid said after the game. “Took a lot of shots today, but I’m fine.”

As of Friday afternoon, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said he was unsure of Embiid’s status, though he recognized it had been a tough night physically for his MVP favorite big man.

“I don’t think he’s feeling good,” Rivers said before a team film session. “He was on the floor as much as the floor. Every time I looked, he was getting up. But I don’t know how he’s feeling yet. We’ll find that out.”

Though Embiid has never missed an extended stretch in the playoffs because of an injury, he’s unfortunately had many physical issues pop up and often played through pain. For the time being, the 2020 postseason will be his only one without any injury absences. Embiid last year suffered a torn right thumb ligament, an orbital fracture, and a concussion in the playoffs. He was out for Games 1 and 2 of the Sixers’ second-round series against the Heat and wore a protective mask upon returning. 

As they’ve been every season during Embiid’s career, the Sixers were a significantly better team this year with the 29-year-old on the court compared to with him off it. Per Cleaning the Glass, Embiid’s on-off net rating differential outside of garbage time was plus-10.9.

However, the team managed to win 11 of the 16 regular-season games Embiid missed and received strong contributions from role players like De’Anthony Melton, Shake Milton, and Paul Reed in many of those victories.

Reed has backed up Embiid thus far against Brooklyn. Veterans Dewayne Dedmon and Montrezl Harrell are other center options on the Sixers’ roster, and the team has been confident throughout this season in P.J. Tucker’s ability as a small-ball center. 

After giving backup big man Day'Ron Sharpe 17 minutes in the series opener, Brooklyn leaned much more on smaller lineups in Games 2 and 3 and persisted with constant, aggressive double teams on Embiid. There’s no question that the game plans for Rivers and Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn will be radically different Saturday without a six-time All-Star center on the floor.