There were some interesting series in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The defending champions Golden State Warriors face elimination when they clash with Sacramento Kings. Another one that was interesting had LeBron James leading the Los Angeles Lakers over the Memphis Grizzlies.
But these teams in particular didn’t need the full extent of seven games. The Boston Celtics added drama to their matchup with the AtlantaHawks losing game 5 at home, although they closed it out in the next opportunity.
Philadelphia instead had a much easier task vs Brooklyn Nets. Their spot in this round was never in doubt especially after being the only team that swept their opponent, but there was an issue that could limit them a lot. This problem is Joel Embiid’s injury on game 3 that still doesn’t not look good despite the rest he had.
Joel Embiid’s injury update
The MVP finalist is the most important piece in the team. Philadelphia were able to defeat Brooklyn on game 4 while he was sidelined with a knee sprain, although Boston present a much better opposition. If the center doesn’t play, their chances seem to be very low.
Head coach Doc Rivers provided a discouragingphrase regarding his availability. “There is no latest. The doctors looked at him and he didn’t do anything on Saturday. I’ll say this, if I was a betting man, I would probably say doubtful for at least Game 1. We’ll see”, he said. But a new updatesuggests that his status could be even worse.
“The knee injury 76ers star Joel Embiid suffered April 20 is considered to be more serious than a Grade 1 LCL sprain”, Shams Charania of The Athleticreported. This uncertainty might affect the 76ers because Embiid could either end up playing throughthe pain or be out for longer than just one game. Rivers will need to have a plan to surprise the Celtics on the road in a different way if his best player isn’t ready to go.