The Philadelphia 76ers are currently hoping and praying that they get to see the return of Joel Embiid on Friday night.
Embiid is currently working his way through a head injury and concussion.
Because of that, he has missed the first two games of the series and the team has plummeted without him.
They are now down 2-0 against the Miami Heat and are facing a pivotal Game 3 on Friday night.
Yet, there is a chance that Embiid returns just in the nick of time.
He participated in shootaround with the team and is being fitted for a face mask in hopes that he feels able to play in the game.
Embiid played through a torn meniscus in last season’s playoffs and a major thumb injury already this postseason. If he pulls off a comeback tonight from an orbital fracture and concussion this fast … he’s a Philadelphia Warrior and 76er. https://t.co/3Kk1aiA4xu
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 6, 2022
As Marc Stein noted, Embiid played through a torn meniscus in last season’s playoffs and already had a major thumb injury in this postseason.
This guy lives and breathes for his team.
Impaired Embiid
Embiid is easily the most important part of the team, averaging 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists a game.
Those are MVP-caliber numbers and he still has a chance at winning that honor this year.
His importance to the team goes beyond his points, though.
Nearly every play – offensively and defensively – goes through Embiid.
He is the lynchpin that holds the entire squad together.
Without him, they have fallen apart and look sloppy and, frankly, not even worthy of being in the playoffs.
To be fair, even if Embiid does come back and is playing well, the 76ers still have a huge challenge ahead of them.
Coming back from a 2-0 deficit is nearly impossible, even with a player as powerful as Embiid.
However, Philadelphia certainly won’t do it without him.
NEXT: DeAndre Jordan Is Actively Hurting The 76ers
