Embiid and Lowry to miss Sixers-Heat series opener
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid and Miami Heat veteran point guard Kyle Lowry will sit out Monday’s NBA Eastern Conference semifinal opener, the teams confirmed Sunday.
Joel Embiid and Miami Heat veteran point guard Kyle Lowry will miss Monday’s NBA Eastern Conference semifinal opener, both franchises confirmed Sunday.
Cameroon’s Embiid, a candidate for the season’s MVP award, was placed on the official injury list Sunday with a facial fracture and concussion.
These injuries stem from the hard blow to the face the center received Thursday in the sixth and final game of the first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.
Embiid was inadvertently elbowed in the face by compatriot Pascal Siakam when the Sixers were leading by 29 points with four minutes remaining.
According to ESPN, Embiid will also miss Game 2 of the playoffs against the Heat in Miami on Wednesday, but the Sixers are optimistic he can return for Friday’s Game 3 in Philadelphia.
The loss of Embiid, who averaged 26.2 points and 11.3 rebounds against the Raptors, is a major blow to the Sixers’ hopes of upsetting top-seeded Miami in the Eastern Conference.
On the other side, the Heat reported that Kyle Lowry, 36, will be out Monday because of hamstring problems that have already sidelined him for the final two games of the series against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Heat also said the presence of their star point guard Jimmy Butler is “questionable” due to knee discomfort.