May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) grabs his leg after going down during the second half of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
NEW YORK -- The rest has been gotten, treatment to bodies had, film poured over. Now it's time for Game 2.
With one pretty big caveat.
Joel Embiid will miss the game with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness. It will be the fourth game has missed in this year's playoffs, including the first three games in the Boston Celtics series.
The Sixers seemed a shell of themselves in the series opener on Monday at Madison Square Garden, as we all know, less than 48 hours after they had finished off the Boston Celtics in Game 7. The New York Knicks took full advantage in the initial game of the best-of-seven series, posting a 137-98 victory. It was similar to the 32-point pasting the Sixers absorbed in Game 1 of the Celtics series, and the players are confident they can bounce back the way they did to advance to this second round.
"We're a resilient group," said Andre Drummond at the team's morning shootaround before Wednesday's game. "They did what they're supposed to do. They're at home. They had three days off. They played great. You can't beat teams that are shooting 60 percent from three and from the field. So, they did what they were supposed to do in Game 1 and we'll make the adjustments and come out tonight and play the game we're supposed to play."
And now they'll have to do it without Embiid, who averaged 28 points in the four games he played against the Celtics.
The game they are supposed to play wasn't evident much at all on Monday, as Embiid was looked to in isolation a lot early on, but missed a lot of makeable shots, finishing the night 3-for-11. Tyrese Maxey never really got his motor running at the offensive end, missing his only attempt in the first quarter and not getting his first basket until there was 6:58 to go in the half. The Sixers didn't put up much resistance in allowing the Knicks to shoot 65.9 percent from the floor in the first half, including 9-for-18 from three, and Jalen Brunson 27 of his 35 points before the break.
"We just have to play a little more aggressively, not allow him to get into his rhythm," said Drummond of Brunson. "I think he was very free flowing and played the game he likes to play which is open and hands free. So you have to touch him up a little bit, make him uncomfortable. Just play our game."
"I would expect them to have Tyrese Maxey be far more aggressive than he was in Game 1."
—@TimBontemps on how the 76ers may adjust with Joel Embiid out for Game 2 vs. the Knicks ✍️ pic.twitter.com/aCietSlUVE
And just what is that game? Well, it does start with their defending of Brunson.
Obviously, 27 first half points should never happen, but he is on a roll, especially against the Sixers when it comes to playoff games. In his last four meetings against Philadelphia in the playoffs,
Brunson has scored 47, 40, 41 and 35 points. Someone has to be somewhat of a stopper on him, whether it be VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre, Jr. or Paul George, each of whom tried to stick Brunson on Monday.
And while much of the attention must be given to Brunson, the Sixers have to be able to keep in check the other scoring options the Knicks have. Discounting Brunson, the other four starters for New York shot 24-for-36 (66.7 percent) and made nine of their 14 three pointers.
"I think we were generating good shots but just weren't making them," said Drummond. It's not like we were taking bad shots or not getting enough shots, we just weren't making them. Those shots that we'll take, I'm sure they'll go in tonight. And if not, we'll get stops and shoot them again.
"We have to pay attention to detail. Knowing what to do with certain guys, how to guard them certain ways to make them play different than what they're used to playing. For us, it's just get into our game plan, play hard and may the chips fall the way they're supposed to."
Maybe that will be enough, like it was in the prior series. But this Knicks team is playing very well right now, having won their last four games by close to 34 points. It is a somewhat monumental task coming back from such a gut-punch early in the series, but something the Sixers have done recently as they won the next game twice against the Celtics after losing by 32, and both times on the road. And one of those times without Embiid.
"Just switching our mindset towards playing the Knicks," said Drummond on how to overcome that Game 1 blasting. "We saw them once, saw what they are capable of. They gave us a really good punch. We came back, watched film, studied what we needed to study and we're going to come out today and give our best effort.
.@notthefakeSVP pays tribute to Nick Nurse’s late brother, Stephen Nurse. pic.twitter.com/lybzb1cWfB
NOTES: Coach Nick Nurse was back with the team after traveling to Iowa after Monday's game for the funeral of his brother, Stephen, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 62 last week... Embiid acknowledged that he wasn't so sure the hard forearm he took to the stomach on Monday night from Knicks' forward Mikal Bridges wasn't without intent. Bridges was fighting through an Embiid pick at the time of the contact. "I don't know if it was dirty or not. It was off the screen. I don't think it was necessary because Tyrese was already gone and it was after the play. I just felt like it wasn't necessary, but we move on. If that's the reality of it, then I guess we've got to go out and be physical too and do it too."... Embiid was walking very gingerly walking into the team's shootaround Wednesday, before being pulled from the lineup... Games 3 and 4 will be back in Philly at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
