Newly named MVP Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup on Wednesday in Game 2 of their second-round series against the Boston Celtics. Embiid had been sidelined since April 20 with a sprained LCL in his right knee, and he told reporters after the 121-87 loss that the injury had a significantly longer return-to-play timetable.
"With what I have, I'm supposed to be out for, what, four to six weeks or something like that?" Embiid said. "So, I'm not going to be 100% for that whole time, or I"m not going to be fully healed for that whole time."
Embiid scored 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting in 27 minutes, with three rebounds, five blocks and three turnovers. He provided rim protection, but was not his normal self. Given that Philadelphia had taken a 1-0 lead without him, it is fair to wonder if Embiiid should have waited to come back until Game 3 on Friday. The way he sees it, though, he needed to get this first one over with.
"I just felt like probably it would have been the same result as far as how I'm feeling if I would have come back in Game 3," Embiid said. "Probably rusty and not myself. But I feel like I just got this out of the way. Disappointed about the loss, but that's a step towards getting back to myself. And obviously I got a lot of work to do, and that starts tonight, tomorrow, to make sure I'm ready for Friday."
Embiid said that he will "get back to my dominant self" as the playoffs go on. He also said that Tuesday was "the first time I really did something going up and down in two weeks." Going forward, he said, the biggest things to monitor are his mobility and any swelling in the knee.
"Just gotta cross your fingers and hope that it doesn't [swelll]," he said. "And treatment around the clock to make sure you're as good as possible. But I think I should be fine. I've played through a lot. Last year, broken face, fingers. Played through it all. Even with no concern that I could lose my vision if I got hit. So I'm going to keep playing through anything."
Sixers coach Doc Rivers said he thought Embiid was "rusty, early on," but they "knew there was going to have to be some kind of growing pains bringing him back, so I'm glad we got it out of the way today." Rivers added that he thought Embiid "moved fine," but deferred too often when he had favorable matchups.
"Especially early in the game, he was really trying to defer," Rivers said. "We really don't want him to do that, but I get it, so I'm not that concerned by it."
Last weekend, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Embiid's injury was worse than a Grade 1 sprain.
