Despite tying the series 1-1 heading into their home turf, the Philadelphia 76ers are still not favored to win their first-round affair against the Boston Celtics. However, that narrative might just have to shift now in view of the latest update surrounding Joel Embiid and his anticipated return to the hardwood after a medical procedure.
Ahead of Game 3, the 76ers have upgraded Embiid from out to doubtful. Obviously, that means that the superstar big man is more likely not going to be able to be in uniform, but it is pretty telling of the progress he has made since undergoing an appendectomy procedure a couple of weeks ago. If anything, this probably proves that he is on pace to eventually return in the first round.
Embiid coming back from his absence would be huge for the 76ers. Sure, they might have won convincingly in Game 2, but they had to drain 19 three-pointers just to win and the Celtics needed to miss 37 triples to lose. There is some degree of aberration therein, which makes it all the more necessary for Philly to get some more firepower, especially inside the paint.
The 76ers are poised to get Joel Embiid back in the first round
Recuperation from appendectomy procedures often takes an average of three weeks at the minimum, and Embiid is certainly getting close to that figure. Still, this is on the early end of the usual timeline.
The 76ers cannot rush Embiid back, but the fact that he is already participating in practice on a partial capacity after beginning his conditioning program earlier this week is a great sign in and of itself. Thankfully, this is not one of those worrisome ligament injuries that often takes him out of commission, so as long as he does not face any hiccups in his recovery, he should be good to go right away.
So far, the team has no other choice but to try and beat the Celtics at their own game, which is a precarious proposition. After all, even just a slight regression to the mean could yield a quick loss for the 76ers since Boston is not really the kind of team that does on cold shooting spells for long durations.
As such, getting Embiid would be a game-changer for the 76ers. Boston does not really have the personnel to shut down an imposing behemoth like the former Most Valuable Player unlike in years past, so his presence alone would give Philly a clear edge in that regard.
Hopefully, his return will be as smooth as it can be. The 76ers have a legitimate chance at an upset, but they can only realize their potential this year if Embiid is actually hooping.
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