Joel Embiid’s latest injury absence is no longer just a Philadelphia 76ers problem. It has become a national talking point. It’s one that drives the perpetual “is Embiid playing tonight?” questions.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins did not hold back on “NBA Today” after Embiid was ruled out for Game 2 of the Sixers’ Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks. Embiid will miss the May 6 matchup because of a sprained right ankle and sore right hip, according to the Associated Press story posted by NBA.com. The 76ers had initially listed Embiid as probable before downgrading him to out roughly six hours before tipoff.
For Perkins, the timing made the news especially hard to defend.
“No chance,” Perkins said when asked whether Philadelphia could beat New York without Embiid, according to the source transcription. “You see the way the Knicks been playing basketball over the last four games offensively and defensively, they need Joel.”
Perkins then went further, calling the situation more than unfortunate for 76ers fans.
“I’m to the point now where it’s not just unfortunate if you’re a 76er fan,” Perkins said. “It’s frustrating. It’s very, very frustrating.”
Joel Embiid Is Out With an Ankle Injury for Game 2 of Sixers-Knicks
Embiid’s official injury designation includes both the ankle and hip. The 76ers first listed Embiid as probable with the ankle issue, then added the hip problem before ruling him out.
Embiid missed the team’s Wednesday morning shootaround after experiencing increased soreness in both areas.
That matters because Embiid already looked compromised in Game 1. He finished with 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes during the Knicks’ 137-98 win over Philadelphia. New York repeatedly targeted his limited mobility to create open looks.
Now the Sixers must try to even the series without their best player, while already trailing 1-0 and facing a Knicks team that controlled Game 1 from start to finish.
The immediate basketball impact is clear. Tyrese Maxey will have to carry a heavier offensive workload after scoring 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting in Game 1. Philadelphia will also need frontcourt minutes from Andre Drummond, Adem Bona or smaller lineup combinations against a Knicks team led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Embiid Is Not Playing Tonight, and His Injury Return Timeline Is Unclear
The 76ers have not provided a clear return timeline for Embiid beyond ruling him out for Game 2.
That uncertainty is part of what made Perkins’ comments land. Embiid returned during Philadelphia’s first-round series against the Boston Celtics after missing time because of an emergency appendectomy. He helped the Sixers come back from a 3-1 deficit to win that series, but his postseason has already required constant health monitoring.
Embiid missed the first three games against Boston and had not played since April 6 before returning in that series. He averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists over the final four games of the Celtics series, but the physical toll appeared to carry into the Knicks matchup.
Embiid averaged 25.2 points through five playoff games before being ruled out for Game 2 against New York.
Perkins framed the issue as part of a larger pattern.
“This is so much of a disappointment,” Perkins said. “Different year, same story.”
That is the part Sixers fans know too well. Embiid has often played through pain in the playoffs, but Philadelphia’s postseason hopes have repeatedly been shaped by whether he can stay available and close to full strength.
This time, the stakes are immediate. The 76ers are trying to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole before the series shifts back to Philadelphia.
Kendrick Perkins Compared Embiid’s Availability to Anthony Edwards Injury News
Perkins also invoked Anthony Edwards while discussing Embiid’s absence, arguing that Edwards had set a different standard by insisting on playing through his own situation.
“I don’t want to hear about doctors and the team holding you out,” Perkins said, according to the transcription. “Because the doctors and teams, they couldn’t hold Anthony Edwards out. Anthony Edwards went there and put his foot down and said, ‘I’m going to play. I’m going to be available.’”
That is a strong criticism, and it should be treated as Perkins’ opinion rather than a medical conclusion. Teams and players do not handle every injury the same way, and Embiid’s situation includes multiple issues: a right ankle sprain, right hip soreness and the recent appendectomy return.
Still, Perkins’ broader point reflects the frustration around Philadelphia’s season. Embiid played only 38 regular-season games because of multiple ailments, according to Reuters, while averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 blocks.
The Sixers are not just missing a star. They are missing the player their entire roster construction is built around.
Without Embiid, Philadelphia loses its best post scorer, its most important half-court pressure point and its defensive size against Towns. Maxey can raise the tempo and create more offense, but the Sixers’ margin for error shrinks dramatically when their former MVP is unavailable.
For Perkins, that made the Game 2 news less about sympathy and more about frustration.
For the 76ers, it is now about survival.
Joel Embiid Injury News Draws Blunt ESPN Criticism Before Knicks Game