Eastern Conference Semifinal Update: Knicks and 76ers Faces Injury Concerns
PHILADELPHIA — As the Eastern Conference semifinal series heads to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night, both the Knicks and the 76ers are grappling with significant health issues.
Both teams were without their key centers, Joel Embiid and Mitchell Robinson, during Game 2. It appears that Robinson (illness) is expected to make a return, but Embiid, who is dealing with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip, remains questionable for the upcoming game.
Additionally, Knicks guard Josh Hart is facing uncertainty as well due to a sprained left thumb. Hart sustained his injury late in the third quarter but managed to play a portion of the final quarter.
From the trio of players affected, Embiid’s situation seems the most uncertain. According to the 76ers’ coach Nick Nurse, Embiid woke up with muscle soreness on Tuesday and, after the team’s shootaround, it was decided he wouldn’t participate.
In Embiid’s absence, Andre Drummond stepped in as a starter. It’s worth noting that Embiid has had a history of injuries; he underwent an emergency appendectomy late in the regular season and missed the first three playoff games.
In Game 1 against the Knicks, Hart struggled on defense, hitting only 3 of 11 field goals and contributing 14 points in a tough loss.
A critical factor in the Knicks’ postseason success has been their ability to force turnovers. Among the remaining eight teams, only the Thunder are making a stronger playoff run right now.
The Knicks have been excellent at capitalizing on turnovers; opponents have been averaging 15.6 points per game against them, an increase from the regular season’s 14.4. This has provided a significant edge against the 76ers, who have committed an average of 18.5 turnovers over the first two games. Notably, Tyrese Maxey himself accounted for 10 of those turnovers, with six happening in Game 2.
New York has effectively converted Philadelphia’s 37 turnovers into 48 points, which has certainly made a difference in the series so far.
