Joel Embiid is expected back with the 76ers for Game 2 against the Celtics at TD Garden, but it’s possible the star center might be rushing too soon to play Wednesday night.
Philadelphia has been without Embiid since Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets on April 20, but the 76ers beat Boston without him thanks to a historic performance from James Harden.
The Celtics will look to play with more purpose in Game 2 to avoid going down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series, and Embiid’s return won’t make things easier. But Stephen A. Smith cautioned the 29-year-old, who was named NBA MVP on Tuesday, from rushing his return to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“I think it is a mistake,” Smith said on “First Take,” per ESPN video. “I don’t believe that Embiid should play (Wednesday). You got the game you wanted in Boston. I think that Boston is desperate. They come out here (Wednesday), and I think that if you’re Embiid, to me, I would use that additional few days as rest and come back for Game 3, ready to go for the rest of this series. Me personally, because of his healthy, his shaky history of health — I understand for some people it might not a big difference, Game 2, Game 3. What’s the big difference? Me personally, I think with the 76ers having gotten Game 1, I personally think he should wait, miss Game 2 and then come back ready Game 3 and do his thing.”
Embiid is 1-8 against the Celtics in his playoff career, according to Stat Muse. While that stat has a lot of noise behind it, that could be motivation to return, along with taking a 2-0 series lead back to Philadelphia.
If this season’s MVP does sit, it would be a big break for the Celtics, who could be without Marcus Smart after he was listed questionable Tuesday due to a chest contusion.
Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
