Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
The latest Joel Embiid injury update isn’t good news for the Philadelphia 76ers who will likely have to make it through Game 3 against the Heat without him.
The 76ers are in a hole against the Heat after falling behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Their hopes of coming back hinge desperately on Joel Embiid making it back into the lineup. However, a return for Game 3 in Philadelphia may be just out of reach.
On Thursday, the 76ers listed Embiid out for Game 3. However, there’s more to the story.
Joel Embiid injury update: 76ers star listed out for Game 3
“The Sixers are currently listing Joel Embiid as out for Game 3, but there’s still progress that could be made to change his availability vs. Heat on Friday,” Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
Embiid suffered an orbital fracture in the first round and has to clear concussion protocol before he can make it back onto the court.
Philadelphia had to list Embiid’s status by Thursday evening but his “OUT” is not locked in stone. He could still clear enough hurdles by tip-off.
The Heat are a slight favorite for Friday’s action despite the 76ers enjoying the home-court advantage.
Miami was also going to be favored in the series. Embiid’s presence certainly would have made the first two games more competitive. The Heat took care of things on their home court and they could take one step closer to the conference finals with a Game 3 victory.
Without Embiid, it’ll be up to Tobias Harris and James Harden to work some magic on their home floor. With him, it’ll be a whole new ball game.