Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will play in Friday's Game 3 against the New York Knicks after missing Game 2 with a sprained ankle and hip soreness.
Embiid is averaging 25.2 points, eight rebounds, and 5.8 assists through five playoff games for Philadelphia. However, the 32-year-old struggled in the 76ers' lopsided Game 1 loss to New York, shooting 3-of-11 for 14 points and four rebounds in 24-and-a-half minutes.
The 76ers need a win at home Friday to avoid going down 3-0 in the second-round series.
Along with getting Embiid back, Philadelphia will face a Knicks squad without top defender OG Anunoby. The 28-year-old suffered a hamstring strain on a dunk attempt in the final minutes of Game 2 and remains day-to-day. Anunoby has also been New York's best 3-point shooter this postseason, hitting 53.8% on 4.9 attempts per game.
But the Knicks will have their own frontcourt reinforcement Friday, with Mitchell Robinson returning after missing Game 2 due to illness.
The two teams square off in Philadelphia again Sunday. If necessary, the series will shift back to New York for a Game 5 on Tuesday.
