Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid reacts after a foul call throughout the first half of Game 3 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Recent York Knicks Friday, May 8, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid is another loss away with the 76ers from getting your entire NBA offseason to rest from his litany of injuries.
Embiid — as he has done throughout his profession — resolutely returned to the ground, this time with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip that cost him one game to try to make the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals with the Recent York Knicks right into a competitive series.
Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all fell short in crunch time with the series back at home.
Embiid scored 18 points and was the one one in all the Sixers’ vaunted Big Three to shoot a free throw while Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a 108-94 win on Friday night for a 3-0 series lead.
Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
The 76ers went 13 of 16 from the road while the Knicks made 23 of 32, the form of discrepancy that opened some eyes within the locker room. Maxey, George and their combined $400-plus million contracts didn’t get to the road. Embiid was just 4 of 6.
“I assume it’s good when Recent York wins,” Embiid said.
Embiid struggled through a brief night within the Knicks’ 137-98 romp in Game 1, scoring 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting before the starters were benched with the sport out of reach.
Embiid had been listed as probable to play in that game and the Knicks repeatedly took advantage of his lack of mobility to create open shots.
He had been expected to play Game 2 but was ruled out hours beforehand.
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Embiid had an appendectomy late within the regular season. He returned during Game 4 of Philadelphia’s first-round series against Boston and helped the 76ers overcome a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Celtics.
Embiid and the Sixers have a more treacherous path as they struggle to win 4 straight games against the Knicks.
“We will’t back down,” Embiid said. “You already know, 3-1, that is tougher. Just going with the understanding we will’t get all of it back in a single game. One win, concentrate on the following one, win the following one, that must be the mentality. That’s the mentality we had last week.”
As for his plea that Sixers fans keep their tickets and refuse to sell them on the open market, Embiid said he was too focused on attempting to win the sport, somewhat than concentrate to a decidedly split fan group until the waning moments, when “Let’s go Knicks!” chants boomed throughout the sector.
“I wasn’t really being attentive,” Embiid said.