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76ers’ Joel Embiid to miss Game 4 despite avoiding kick suspension
76ers' Joel Embiid to miss Game 4 despite avoiding kick suspension,The NBA might not have suspended 76ers superstar Joel Embiid for his questionable conduct in Game 3, but basketball karma has struck in the form of a sprained knee which will keep him out of action for at least one game.

76ers’ Joel Embiid to miss Game 4 despite avoiding kick suspension

After kicking Brooklyn Nets big man Nic Claxton during Thursday’s Game 3 win, many expected Sixers MVP finalist Joel Embiid to face discipline from the NBA. While he was able to ultimately dodge a suspenion, it turns out Embiid will be in street clothes for Game 4, regardless. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Romana Shelburne of ESPN, the Sixers have ruled Embiid out for Saturday after an MRI revealed he had suffered a sprained right knee.

ESPN Sources with @Ramonashelburne: An MRI revealed Sixers star Joel Embiid suffered a sprained right knee and will miss Game 4 vs. Brooklyn on Saturday. There’s optimism he could be ready to return as soon as early next week. pic.twitter.com/Btwm3ls8Vh

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 22, 2023

Embiid won’t suit up for Game 4, but the injury shouldn’t keep him out longer than next week — assuming a clean recovery — and likely won’t impact the Sixers (who are sitting on the doorstep of a sweep) to a tangible degree.

“If the Sixers can get past the Nets here, there’s optimism that Embiid would not miss time in the next round,” Wojnarowski said. 

After a nasty Game 3 filled with technical fouls and ejections, it is no surprise that a casualty emerged. The Nets and Sixers played physically on Thursday, leading to Embiid’s incident with Claxton, who stepped over a fallen Embiid after throwing down an alley-oop.Embiid proceeded to kick at the Nets center, receiving a Flagrant-1 foul from officials. Later in the game, Sixers point guard James Harden got the boot after officials ruled he made “excessive” contact to the groin of Royce O’Neale. 

Game 4 will undoubtedly feature more of the rough stuff, but Philly will have to go it without Embiid, opening the door — ever so slightly — for the Nets to crawl back into the series.

Embiid’s absence figures to go down as some backdoor load management when all is said and done, because barring a miracle, the 76ers are unlikely to blow a 3-0 series lead, with or without their star center.