Sixers superstar Joel Embiid is playing in Game 4 against the Raptors on Saturday despite dealing with a thumb injury. An initial exam revealed that Embiid may have suffered ligament damage, but an MRI is still needed to confirm that, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link).
Head coach Doc Rivers admitted on Saturday that there’s concern about the injury.
“The one thing we know is it can’t get worse,” Rivers said, as tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Embiid clearly has no plans of sitting and will likely undergo an MRI when the team returns to Philly.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference today:
- The Celtics aren’t taking any additional risks by playing Robert Williams III in Game 3, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Williams has been recovering from torn meniscus surgery and last played on March 27. “If you’re going to be working him hard and putting him through contact in practice to get him ready, there’s no real additional risk to having him do it in a game for a few minutes here and there,” an NBA medical source told Bulpett. “You’re not putting a lot on his shoulders, and you could be helping his progress.”
- Heat center Bam Adebayo is once again struggling in the playoffs, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. After averaging 15.5 points on 46% shooting against the Bucks in last year’s first-round series, Adebayo has tallied just 28 total points through three games against the Hawks. He finished with 13 points on nine shots in Game 4, attempting only one shot in the fourth quarter. The Heat were outscored in that quarter by a score of 34-25.
- Sam Amick of The Athletic examines how the Celtics have defended Nets superstar Kevin Durant, who has shot just 13-of-41 through two games (32%). Boston has one of the best defensive groups in the league, making it harder for Durant to get to his spots, abuse matchups and score.
Onyeka outplayed Bam in a big way in the 4th last night. I’m hoping that continues. Things should get even tougher for Bam when Clint returns
Good that player medical information is being communicated to the media by the team DOC !!
It isn’t just who the Celtics are able to throw at KD, it is also the number of bodies they’re able to throw at him.
KD isn’t able to get picks n switch on weaker opponents throughout the game either.
That can and will wear down the best of players, especially if you’re able to keep them out of a rhythm and frustrated for a majority of the game.
If it isn’t Derrick White, it is Jaylen Brown, there is Jayson Tatum, there is the gritty Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, even Horford, etc…And that isn’t even including they’ve been missing their ALL-NBA 1st Teamer and Defensive Player of The Year Award candidate in Robert Williams…
The Celtics are able to throw numerous long bodies at KD, they’re able to switch on KD without giving him any advantages, and they’re able to have multiple defenders ready for KD at multiple levels. Whether it is on the perimeter, as he’s trying to find his spots for his mid-range game, or even help defense coming over when he’s trying to drive and finish at the rim the Celtics are doing as good of a job as you can on KD.
You can watch and see that the Celtics defense is wearing on him. It certainly helps that the refs have been letting Boston put their hands all over Durant throughout the course of the series, that would definitely wear down alot better players just as quickly…
Still though, if that’s the gameplan that Boston is going with, KD and Kyrie have to counterattack!!