What is Embiid’s injury history?
Rich Hofmann, 76ers beat writer: Rivers did not provide any sort of concrete update on Embiid. After the fall, Embiid initially seemed to be grabbing his hip and lower back area, but the Sixers said it was right knee soreness that kept him out after the first quarter.
As far as his knees are concerned, Embiid’s major injuries (a torn meniscus in 2017, ongoing tendinitis in 2019 and bone bruise earlier this year) involved his left knee. But the stakes are massive: While the Sixers probably don’t need Embiid to finish off this series, they do need him at full strength to win a championship.
Can the Wizards come back after their Game 4 win?
Fred Katz, Wizards beat writer: If history could talk, it would say no — no matter the severity of Embiid’s injury. No team in NBA history has come back from down three games to none to win a playoff series, let alone a No. 8 seed that looked thoroughly outmatched over the first three games.
That said, the 76ers are a different team without their MVP finalist, and if they don’t have him, the Wizards have a chance to make life a little more difficult for them than they would have otherwise.
How problematic is Ben Simmons’ free-throw shooting?
Hofmann: It remains to be seen. If Simmons reverts to his career norms, Rivers is right that analytically the Sixers are going to be fine with 1.2 points per possession (60 percent). But Simmons has been an even worse free-throw shooter the entire second half of the season (53 percent post-All Star) and he doesn’t look confident taking them right now.
Even if Hack-a-Ben isn’t a winning strategy for opponents long-term, Simmons’ free-throw issues are part of a unique problem for the Sixers: Running late-game offense when the team’s best ball-handler and decision-maker doesn’t want the ball.
(Photo: Ned Dishman / NBAE via Getty Images)
