Doc Rivers Remains Unsure About Joel Embiid's Injury Timeline

A torn ligament in the thumb wasn't enough to keep Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid off the floor in the first round of the playoffs against the Toronto

A torn ligament in the thumb wasn't enough to keep Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid off the floor in the first round of the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors.

Following a tight overtime win in Game 3, Embiid revealed he was dealing with hand pain. An MRI confirmed that a surgical procedure was necessary, but it could wait until the season was over.

Embiid's toughness was admired for the next couple of games, but he wasn't invincible. As the Sixers looked to close out their first-round series once and for all during Game 6 on the road, Embiid took an elbow to the face, which caused another bump in the road for the big man.

Now, in addition to dealing with a torn ligament in his thumb, Embiid is battling an orbital fracture and a mild concussion. While reports indicate that Embiid won't need surgery for the fracture, a Sixers official noted that the big man is out indefinitely.

When the Sixers returned to the practice court on Saturday afternoon, Embiid wasn't around. Since the star center is dealing with concussion symptoms, he's not cleared to practice in any capacity for the time being.

Soon, Embiid should be cleared from the NBA concussion protocol. And since he'll likely avoid surgery from the orbital fracture, all hope isn't lost for a potential round two return for Embiid. 

However, while Sixers head coach Doc Rivers holds out hope that Embiid can return and face the Miami Heat at some point in the second-round series, he confirms that a timeline isn't set right now.

“I don’t know if you make up for it, but you figure out how. It‘s a tough injury. The good news, I guess, is he’s had it before. The bad news, there’s just no timeline for when he’s coming back.

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“I don’t know. There’s hope, obviously, but I don’t know right now. I think we have to let him get through the process and see where he’s at.” via

Ky Carlin of USA Today's Sixers Wire

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With Game 1 against the Heat approaching, the Sixers will have to roll with some combination of DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Paul Millsap, or Charles Bassey. 

While Doc Rivers mentioned that they'll replace Embiid's minutes with numerous looks, the Sixers will have to rely heavily on their other notable players, such as James Harden, Tobias Harris, and Tyrese Maxey, to make up for the lost star.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.