Report: 'Optimism' Joel Embiid Could Come Back By Game 3 Or 4

Skip to main contentSB NationSB Nation logoA Philadelphia 76ers CommunityLiberty BallersFebruary 25, 2026Liberty BallersNotificationsNotifications

• The Feed
• Sixers News
• Sixers Salary
• Podcasts
• Betting
  • FanDuel NBA Odds
  • FanDuel NBA Championship Odds
  • Philadelphia 76ers Odds
  • NBA Picks and Predictions

Navigation Drawer

• Login / Sign Up

closeCloseSearch

• The Feed
• Sixers News
• Sixers Salary
• Podcasts
• BettingExpand
  • FanDuel NBA Odds
  • FanDuel NBA Championship Odds
  • Philadelphia 76ers Odds
  • NBA Picks and Predictions
• Newsletters
• About
• Community Guidelines
• All communities

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• RSS

Liberty BallersReport: ‘Optimism’ Joel Embiid could come back by Game 3 or 4NotificationsNotifications

• General

Report: ‘Optimism’ Joel Embiid could come back by Game 3 or 4

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Sixers could have Joel Embiid back when the team returns back to Philly.

by Paul HudrickMay 1, 2022, 4:49 PM UTC

• Facebook
• Link

The news Friday of Joel Embiid’s orbital bone fracture and concussion dampened the mood as the Sixers got set to take on the Miami Heat in the second round.

On Sunday, there was a glimmer of hope.

It’s not surprising to see that Embiid won’t be available for Games 1 and 2 in Miami. The MVP finalist suffered the injury Thursday late in the Sixers’ Game 6 drubbing of the Raptors after getting elbowed in the face by Pascal Siakam. Danny Green shared the details of what Embiid went through postgame on his “Inside the Green Room” podcast and it was clear the All-Star big was in rough shape.

But news that Embiid will not need surgery on his fractured orbital bone — as first reported Friday by Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice — left the door open for a possible return in this series. Embiid will likely have to wear a protective mask, meaning the return of the Phantom of the Process. When Embiid suffered an orbital bone fracture in 2018, it did require surgery, forcing Embiid to miss several weeks, including the first two playoff games against the Heat.

Time is a flat circle.

Miami isn’t coming to this series at 100 percent either. Philly native and veteran guard Kyle Lowry will be out for Game 1 with a hamstring issue. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are listed as questionable, but both players indicated they would play on Monday.

The key to the Heat’s success as the East’s No. 1 seed was their depth. That will apparently be tested a bit in this series.

As for the Sixers, Doc Rivers has said he’ll tailor his offense around James Harden with Embiid out. When you’re missing an MVP finalist, having a former MVP and top-75 player of all time be the focal point of the offense isn’t a bad option.

“We’re going to play more of a James-oriented offense than we have, because we have to,” Rivers said after practice Saturday. “We’re going to space the floor more. We’re going to play in space more. We play minutes without Joel, and it’s harder in the games he plays in because everything has been sort of tailored to his style. But now that he’s not in, we have to do something else.”

The Sixers will try to steal a game in Miami starting Monday, biding their time for a possible Embiid return.

See More:

• General

Liberty Ballers

A daily roundup of Philadelphia 76ers news

Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

More in General

Feb 12FromSB NationNBA mock draft 2026: Lottery sim delivers 2 shocking winners, punishes tankersNov 19, 2025Starting today, comments and Feed posts on Liberty Ballers will have activity notificationsOct 25, 2025Sixers Reacts Results: Fans expect top-six seed finish in Eastern ConferenceOct 21, 2025Sixers Reacts Survey: How far will the Sixers go in 2025-26?Oct 3, 2025Unrivaled bringing 3v3 women’s basketball to PhiladelphiaOct 1, 2025How to make sure Liberty Ballers shows up in your Google searchGeneralFromSB NationFeb 12GeneralFromSB NationFeb 12NBA mock draft 2026: Lottery sim delivers 2 shocking winners, punishes tankersBy Ricky O'DonnellGeneralNov 19, 2025GeneralNov 19, 2025Starting today, comments and Feed posts on Liberty Ballers will have activity notificationsBy SB Nation NBA NewsGeneralOct 25, 2025GeneralOct 25, 2025Sixers Reacts Results: Fans expect top-six seed finish in Eastern Conference

As the Philadelphia 76ers begin their regular season, fans say the most likely outcome is top six spot in the Eastern Conference.

By Erin GruganGeneralOct 21, 2025GeneralOct 21, 2025Sixers Reacts Survey: How far will the Sixers go in 2025-26?

The Philadelphia 76ers begin their regular season on Wednesday. We want to know how fans think the campaign will go.

By Erin GruganGeneralOct 3, 2025GeneralOct 3, 2025Unrivaled bringing 3v3 women’s basketball to Philadelphia

Unrivaled 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball is coming to Philadelphia in January 2026.

By Erin GruganGeneralOct 1, 2025GeneralOct 1, 2025How to make sure Liberty Ballers shows up in your Google searchBy Paul HudrickAdvertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

The Latest

3:54 AM UTCSixers Bell Ringer: Sixers win second straight with scoring outburst in Indiana2:26 AM UTCMaxey nearly posts triple-double, Embiid sharp in return as Sixers crush Pacers1:15 AM UTCSixers-Pacers: Second Half ThreadFeb 24Sixers-Pacers: First Half ThreadFeb 24Rockets Draft Pick Tracker: Houston seemingly not affected by KD’s burnerFeb 24Sixers 2026 Draft Watch: First-round names to knowCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...