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Joel Embiid downgraded for Game 3 vs. Celtics Friday
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- Joel Embiid downgraded for Game 3 vs. Celtics Friday
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid has been ruled out by the 76ers for Game 3 against the Celtics on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Embiid had been upgraded to doubtful on Thursday on the team's injury report for the first time this series. He practiced with the Sixers on Thursday for the first time since undergoing an appendectomy just over two weeks ago.
The Celtics did not anticipate Embiid making his return for Game 3, as evidenced by Payton Pritchard 's comments about the big man at Friday's shootaround.
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"I don't think we talked about it all," Payton Pritchard said after C's shootaround Friday. "So, if he plays, he plays, we'll figure that out. But it's not like we're sitting here worried if he's playing or not. ... We haven't even game-planned for him yet. So we're focused on who we're playing."
The Sixers acknowledged on Thursday that while Embiid has been making progress ins recovery, his future status remain uncertain after practice yesterday.
"Obviously, we're really hopeful and I think he's really hopeful," Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters Thursday . "He wants to play and we want him to play. I don't know how close we are to that at this point, but I think there's some progress being made. Let's hope that it keeps going that way."
Embiid has not played in a game since undergoing the procedure on April 9. Without him, the Sixers have been playing Adem Bona and Andre Drummond at center in the first two games of the series. Boston and Philadelphia are currently tied up at 1-1. The Celtics are 8.5-point favorites for Game 3 as the series shifts to Philadelphia.
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