The Philadelphia 76ers had said it was unlikely that star center Joel Embiid would suit up for the team’s playoff opener on Saturday (8 ET, ESPN).
Today, they officially ruled him out for Game 1 against the Miami Heat. Embiid, as well as reserve forward Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (right knee patellar tendinitis), are both listed as out for Saturday on the team’s official game notes.
Sixers coach Brett Brown said earlier Friday on “The Dan Patrick Show” that barring “something remarkable”, his All-Star big man would not suit up. Embiid has been out of the Sixers’ lineup since March 28, when he suffered a broken bone around his left eye in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz.
Here’s Brown’s comments from today:
“He will not play in Game 1,” Brown said. “From that point going forward, we’ll figure some stuff out but unless something remarkable happens, Dan, I don’t plan on him playing in Game 1.”
Embiid, who has since been cleared of a concussion suffered from the accidental headbutt, had surgery on March 31. The 7-footer wore a mask during pregame shooting drills and would need one in the postseason.
“I don’t think I’m ready to play,” he said. “It still doesn’t feel all the way right.”
The Sixers clearly need their big man if they’re going to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Embiid leads the team with 22.9 points and 11 rebounds in 63 games, helping Philly clinch its first playoff berth since 2012.
Embiid said on Wednesday it’s “unlikely but still a chance,” he plays in Game 1.
“I want to play but right now I feel like I’m not ready yet,” Embiid said. “It’s getting there. I’ve got to keep working every day. With the way it’s been progressing, I’m hopeful I’ll be back soon.”
He said the eye was still swollen and he doesn’t suffer from blurred vision.
“I’m actually surprised how fast it is getting better,” he said.
The Sixers have won a team-record 16 straight games and wrapped up the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with their home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
Embiid said he hoped the NBA would allow him to wear a black mask that made him look like the 76ers’ version of Zorro.
“With a clear mask, it kind of feels like there’s so much reflection, and I can’t really see,” he said. “With the black mask, it kind of gives you a clear vision. Hopefully, it gets approved and I get to play in it.”
Embiid has yet to participate in any contact drills and has limited his activities to light workouts.
Embiid is used to sitting out with the Sixers — he missed his first two seasons with a broken foot and played just 31 games last season because of a knee injury. The Sixers had been cautious this season and initially held him out of the back end of consecutive games on the schedule. But he stayed healthy until the freak injury and developed into one of the league’s top defenders (1.8 blocks, 38 double-doubles).
On Wednesday, Embiid stumped for Brown to win NBA coach of the year, teammate Ben Simmons for Kia Rookie of the Year and himself, naturally, to win the KIA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
“I feel I’ve been the best defensive player in the league this year,” Embiid said. “We have the resume. We won a lot of games. We’re a top-three defensive team in the league and a lot of that speaks for itself. Last year, I kind of had a knock on me for not playing a lot of games. This year, when I actually do play a lot of games, I don’t know what excuse they’re going to find next.”
Anything else?
“I should be first-team All-NBA, too,” he said, smiling behind his mask. “I feel like I’m best the center in the league.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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