NEW YORK–The first round series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets ended on Saturday with the Sixers sweeping the Nets 96-88. They will now advance to the East semifinals and prepare for either the Boston Celtics or the Atlanta Hawks.
The Sixers had to finish the job on Saturday without Joel Embiid who is dealing with a right knee sprain. Philadelphia will now have some time off to give the big fella a few days to rest, but either way, a knee sprain is definitely concerning.
Former Sixers, now Nets, guard Seth Curry has always kept a close relationship with Embiid even after the big 2022 deadline deal. He gave his best wishes to the big fella to get better after the series.
“I didn’t see it happen, honestly, but I mean, he’s been playing a lot of minutes,” Curry told Sixers Wire after the game. “A big fella like that, you just hope he can stay healthy. Got a full playoff run. So he has a lot on his shoulders. Pretty much every superstar in the league, a lot on his shoulders, just playing a lot of minutes and a lot of wear and tear throughout the season so hopefully he can get back healthy and give it a full run.”
As the Sixers prepare for the semifinals, coach Doc Rivers isn’t sure if he will have Embiid ready for Round 2.
“Not that I don’t have confidence, I just don’t know,” said Rivers. “I would say, right now, it’s probably the same percentage I said before the game. Probably 50% at best.”
On the season, Embiid averaged 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds and he is the frontrunner to win the MVP award. When asked if he believes the big fella should win, Curry gave his thoughts.
“Absolutely,” he smiled. “Yeah. For sure. He’s been dominating for a few years now, carrying the team. I feel like he should have one on his resume.”
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Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire