Nick Nurse Addresses Idea of Shutting Joel Embiid Down vs. Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers aren't believed to be on a path to shutting down Joel Embiid against the Knicks, according to Nick Nurse.

Apr 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) takes a jump shot / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers have dealt with plenty of injury scares from their star center Joel Embiid this season. During the Game 1 matchup against the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, the Sixers had to hold their breath once again at halftime.

With a little under three minutes left to go in the second quarter of Game 1, Embiid landed awkwardly before grabbing at his injured knee and crashing to the ground. While he managed to get up and walk off on his own power, Embiid went straight to the locker room, starting halftime early.

Last week, Embiid was in a similar situation against the Orlando Magic. An awkward landing led him to end his second quarter prematurely. After getting checked out, the big man was cleared to return, and trotted back out on the floor for the second half.

The Sixers hoped for similar results on Saturday, and their wish was granted.

“He really is a warrior,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters after Game 1, according to ESPN. “He’s battling.”

Similar to the Orlando outing, Embiid was checked out at halftime and offered the option to return if he felt fine enough physically. Embiid stayed in uniform and took on another 20-minute shift in the second half. While his contributions couldn’t keep the Sixers on top, he escaped the second half without further complications.

Per usual, the plan is to see how Embiid’s knee responds on Sunday. Since returning to action earlier this month, Embiid has taken his recovery day by day. Before every game, he’s been questionable, and in some, he hasn’t played.

Could the Sixers shut down Embiid in the first round to avoid another long-term setback? Right now, that doesn’t seem like a likely scenario.

"I think he absolutely wants to play,” Nurse followed up on Saturday, pushing back on the idea the Sixers could consider shutting down Embiid after a second scare in less than two weeks.

The Sixers were bound to remain extremely cautious with Embiid, scare or not. But after seeing the star center go down as early as the first half of Game 1, the Sixers find themselves in a tricky spot as they sit at 0-1 to begin the postseason.