The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have Joel Embiid available for Game 4 against the New York Knicks.
Philadelphia officially listed Embiid as probable for the Sunday, May 10 matchup with right hip soreness, according to the NBA injury report. That is meaningful news for a Sixers team facing elimination after the Knicks moved ahead 3-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 108-94 win in Game 3.
Embiid returned in Game 3 after missing Game 2 because of hip and ankle issues. He finished with 18 points and three blocks, but Philadelphia was still out-rebounded 49-33 as New York controlled enough of the game to put the Sixers on the brink.
The Philadelphia 76ers Officially Listed Joel Embiid As Probable For Game 4
Embiid’s latest listing is more encouraging than the one Philadelphia carried into Game 3, when he was dealing with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness before ultimately returning to the starting lineup.
This time, the injury report provided by the NBA lists Embiid as probable with right hip soreness. Tyrese Maxey is also on the report, but he is listed as available with a right finger tendon strain and splint, which is a designation he’s carried throughout the playoffs.
For Philadelphia, the distinction matters. A “probable” tag strongly points toward Embiid being in the lineup, though final availability is not official until closer to tipoff.
The Sixers have little margin left. New York leads the series 3-0, and Game 4 is Philadelphia’s last chance to avoid a sweep. The Knicks defeated the 76ers 108-94 in Game 3 behind 33 points from Jalen Brunson, while Kelly Oubre Jr. led Philadelphia with 22 points.
Embiid’s presence does not solve everything for Philadelphia, but it changes the Sixers’ offensive structure. Even when limited, he gives the team a half-court scoring option, a foul-drawing threat and rim protection against a Knicks team that has repeatedly punished Philadelphia on the glass.
Joel Embiid Found Himself in the News After Being Dunked on by Mitchell Robinson
Embiid’s Game 3 return also produced one of the louder viral moments of the series.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who had been dealing with an illness earlier in the series, threw down a poster dunk over Embiid in Game 3.
That play did not decide the series, but it captured a larger issue for Philadelphia. The Knicks have been more physical, more active on the glass and more consistent late in games. Even with Embiid back, the Sixers could not turn Game 3 into the kind of interior battle they needed.
While Robinson is clearly healthy after having dealt with an illness in an absence earlier this series, the bigger Knicks injury question is OG Anunoby, who is listed as questionable with a right hamstring strain.
Anunoby missed Game 3 with the hamstring issue after previously being a major factor in the series. The New York Post reported that the Knicks viewed him as day-to-day, and he had been averaging 20.3 points on efficient shooting during the postseason.
If Anunoby returns, New York gets back one of its best two-way players. If he sits again, the Knicks have already shown they can survive without him, but his absence still changes matchups against Maxey, Oubre and Paul George.
76ers-Knicks Playoffs Continues on Sunday, May 10, on ABC
Game 4 between the Knicks and 76ers is scheduled for Sunday, May 10, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The game will air on ABC, according to the NBA’s official game page.
The stakes are simple: New York can close out the series and advance, while Philadelphia needs a win to force Game 5.
For the Sixers, that starts with Embiid being available and effective enough to change the terms of the game. The injury report suggests he is trending toward playing. The harder question is whether he can look mobile enough to withstand another physical matchup with Robinson, Brunson and a Knicks team that has already put Philadelphia in a 3-0 hole.
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