76ers vs. Celtics: How Was Joel Embiid Feeling After Game 2?

After returning to the court for Game 2 against the Celtics, how was Joel Embiid feeling?

Joel Embiid spent nearly two weeks away from the basketball court as he dealt with a sprained knee, which he suffered during the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. 

After getting an MRI and taking multiple visits to the doctor for evaluations, Embiid was reportedly dealing with a sprained LCL. His status for the Game 1 matchup against the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs was up in the air in the days leading up to the game.

As expected, Embiid missed Game 1. After being listed as doubtful, the Sixers didn’t want to press their luck with the big man and had him sit for the series opener. 

The Sixers did well in Embiid’s absence, stealing a game on the road against the Celtics. Leading up to Game 2, Embiid was once again doubtful but made better progress.

On the eve of Game 2, Embiid participated in a workout to see how his body would respond. Depending on how he felt going into Game 2, there was a chance the big man would push through the soreness he was battling and take on the Celtics.

Embiid went from doubtful to questionable to available on Wednesday. As expected, he made his second-round debut for the Sixers this season by checking in for a little under 27 minutes.

“I’m okay,” Embiid told reporters after the game. “It felt pretty good to go up and down a little bit.”

When asked about what percentage he believes he’s at health-wise, Embiid refused to reveal a number.

“There’s no excuses,” he continued. “I’m out here, so I’m good. I’m good to play. We just got to be better as a team. We didn’t execute what we were supposed to do. They played freely all night. They got whatever they wanted. As far as me, like I said, I’m good.”

Embiid’s minutes shortage on Wednesday night wasn’t due to a restriction or a setback. The Sixers decided to throw in the towel early, accepting defeat against a Celtics team that caught fire in the third quarter. 

Meanwhile, the Sixers were ice cold from the field, shooting under 40 percent from the field and just 20 percent from beyond the arc.

The return of Embiid was a huge boost for the Sixers defensively, but his offensive dominance wasn’t on display. Taking just nine shots in 26 minutes, Embiid scored 15 points. Seven of his points came from the charity stripe.

While the Sixers suffered a 121-87 loss in Game 2, the fact that Embiid made it out healthy was a win on their end. Avoiding any setbacks in Game 2, Embiid should have a good shot to continue playing on Friday when the Sixers and the Celtics battle it out for Game 3.