The Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough spot heading into Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Already trailing the series 1-0 after a brutal 137-98 blowout in Game 1, the last thing the Sixers needed was more injury uncertainty surrounding their franchise cornerstone.
What Is Joel Embiid’s Injury Status?
Joel Embiid had a rough outing in Game 1, finishing with just 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes of action, as Jalen Brunson and the Knicks gave Philly a run for their money. Now, there are some major questions surrounding his status for tonight’s game.
“Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2 tonight against the New York Knicks due to ankle and hip injuries, sources tell ESPN.” Shams Charania broke the news on X.
Just in: Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2 tonight against the New York Knicks due to ankle and hip injuries, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eJm0W04R3G
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 6, 2026
This is a massive blow for a Sixers team that simply cannot afford to fall into a 0-2 deficit without its best player suiting up at MSG.
The injury situation surrounding Embiid has been nothing short of a revolving door this postseason. He missed the first four games of the playoffs while recovering from an appendectomy.
He was then listed as probable with a right hip contusion ahead of Game 1, and the injury report ahead of Game 2 had shifted again, this time flagging a right ankle sprain as the latest concern. This marks the third different injury problem Embiid has carried in as many games this postseason, and unfortunately, the news has now taken a turn for the worse.
The ankle itself is not a new problem. The right ankle had appeared on Embiid’s injury report as far back as December 2025 during the regular season, resurfacing through February before disappearing from reports heading into the second half of the season.
During Game 1, Embiid also took a hard shot from Mikal Bridges while setting a screen, a moment that clearly bothered him. He played only 38 games during the regular season due to various injuries, and the wear and tear of a deep playoff run was always going to be an issue that wouldn’t go away.
In the playoffs, Embiid averaged 25.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game across his five appearances, giving Philly a real chance to compete in any game.
OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to shoot 21-of-29 from the field. Even with Embiid, the Sixers had no answer defensively in Game 1. Without him dominating the paint tonight, keeping the Knicks’ offense in check will be an even more difficult task.
The Sixers have shown they can bounce back from lopsided losses before. In their first-round series against the Boston Celtics, they became the 14th team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs in a 7-game series.
Whether that kind of resilience holds without Embiid on the floor is the biggest question hanging over tonight’s matchup. Game 2 tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.
