Joel Embiid will return for Game 4 of the 76ers’ first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics Sunday night, 17 days after he underwent an appendectomy in Houston.
This return adds a massive new layer to this series, which the Celtics lead two games to one entering Sunday. It also comes after a significantly shorter recovery duration for NBA players who have undergone this procedure.
Per Jeff Stotts’ In Street Clothes NBA injury database, the average time missed for an appendectomy is 23 days. That mark for Embiid falls on May 2, the day of a hypothetical Game 7 of this first-round series.
Kelly Oubre available to play in Game 4
Kelly Oubre Jr. is available for Game 4 of the 76ers’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
His status was in doubt because of a sore adductor muscle. Oubre has played in all three games of the series and was a key cog in the team’s comeback effort against the Boston Celtics.
Sixers fans applauded and pointed toward as Joel Embiid walked onto the court here at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It was the last step in his early return from an April 9 appendectomy.
Embiid, who was expected to make an appearance late in this series – if at all – was listed as available for Game 4 and will start at center. He was listed as doubtful when the night started before being upgraded to questionable in the hours before tipoff.
When Embiid reached the court, he went his typical pregame routine, taking jumpers from three-point distance before venturing in to midrange, free throws and a final dunk.
Celtics coach didn’t have much of a response about Joel Embiid’s upgrade
The 76ers aren’t the only team preparing for the possibility of Joel Embiid returning to this best-of-seven series.
The Boston Celtics also have to consider the possibility of the former MVP returning to the court after undergoing an appendectomy on April 9.
Asked about the uncertainty Embiid’s absence and potential return have added to the series, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla responded as expected with a short response about focusing on his own team and the game right in front of him.
Joel Embiid upgraded ahead of Game 4
Joel Embiid was upgraded to questionable in the hours before the 76ers’ Game 4 meeting with the Boston Celtics, the team announced.
This comes after he was a surprise change on the injury report prior to Game 3. Embiid, who underwent an appendectomy on April 9, was originally expected to miss this series as typical recovery time is longer than a month.
But after the Sixers stole a game in Boston, the possibility of him playing became more realistic as reporters and analysts started eyeing a potential Game 7 return based on the injury timeline for other players who dealt with the condition.
Joel Embiid remains doubtful, Kelly Oubre Jr. questionable for Game 4
‘They’re superstars’: Can the Sixers slow down Brown and Tatum?
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have combined to score 156 points against the 76ers in three games of their first-round series.
That’s almost half of the Celtics’ production in the series, and it still feels like we haven’t seen Tatum at his best with the exception of the closing moments of Game 3.
It takes a special mentality to defend players like that.
Paul George is hitting his stride just when the Sixers need it most
It seems every member of the 76ers has a story about Paul George‘s mentorship.
Now in his 16th season, George has seen a little bit of everything. He’s a nine-time All-Star and one of the early prototypes for the integration of three-and-D philosophy.
So when he speaks players like Justin Edwards, who admitted to modeling his game after George, are going to listen.
‘We had the game’: Sixers look to rebound from Game 3 loss
With 37.7 seconds left in Game 3 of their first-round series, the 76ers were in a good place. They’d defended the Celtics well and Nikola Vučević had just missed a three-pointer in the one-possession game.
But then Derrick White corralled the rebound and got the ball to Jayson Tatum. Boston’s star wing then drained eight seconds off the shot clock and knocked down a back-breaking three from 29 feet.
It was one of several possessions where the Sixers defended well but failed to finish with the play with a rebound. Boston had 15 offensive rebounds in the game and won the rebounding battle, 30-24.
Sixers-Celtics Game 4: How to watch and stream
Another game, another channel.
Game 4 between the 76ers and Boston Celtics jumps to NBC, with Mike Tirico calling the action alongside Reggie Miller. Zora Stephenson will report from Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Sixers-Celtics series has been all over the dial, including ABC, NBC Sports Network, and streaming on Amazon Prime Video, all thanks to the NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion rights deals that also robbed NBC Sports Philadelphia of airing the games in and around Philadelphia.
Injury updates: Joel Embiid participated ‘a little bit’ at shootaround
Justin Edwards said following the Sixers’ shootaround that Joel Embiid (appendectomy) participated in “a little bit” of the team session ahead of Sunday night’s Game 4 against the Boton Celtics.
“Looking forward to seeing if he’s able to play or not,” Edwards said.
Embiid, who has not played since his April 9 surgery, was still listed as doubtful on the NBA’s noon injury report. He went through an individual on-court workout Saturday afternoon, coach Nick Nurse said, and participated in part of Thursday’s practice ahead of Game 3.
Playoff newcomers getting ‘invaluable’ experience
VJ Edgecombe recognizes that he has probably become “annoying” to Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.
But the 76ers’ rookie guard will continue peppering his veteran teammates with “nonstop” questions throughout their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
“I just go there talking to them about any little thing I see,” Edgecombe said following Thursday’s practice. “Is this how it’s supposed to be? Is this how it’s not supposed to be?
Leave a comment