76ers star center Joel Embiid is feeling “a lot better,” but the timeline of his possible return to the court still remains unclear, according to coach Doc Rivers.
Speaking to reporters ahead of practice on Tuesday afternoon, Rivers shared that Embiid was feeling much better after suffering an orbital fracture and concussion in Game 6 against the Raptors last Thursday. However, he exercised caution in his response, not wanting to sound too optimistic about the big man’s return.
“I know he did something yesterday, but not much, and I know he’s feeling a lot better,” Rivers said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I don’t want to give false hope either. So I’ll just stop there.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski already reported that Embiid has been ruled out for the first two games of the series against Miami. However, the Sixers hope that he can clear concussion protocol and potentially return when the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3.
The 76ers certainly missed their MVP candidate in Game 1 against the Heat on Monday. Philadelphia fell 106–92 and backup center DeAndre Jordan, who filled Embiid’s usual place in the starting lineup, struggled to fill the shoes of the five-time All-Star.
Game 2 of the series between the Sixers and the Heat is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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