Joel Embiid’s availability is once again a question mark for the Philadelphia 76ers, and the timing could not be worse. The 2022-23 MVP has dealt with a revolving door of injury issues throughout the 2026 postseason, and now Philadelphia’s season may hinge on whether he can suit up in Game 3.
Embiid is averaging 25.2 points per game in the 2026 playoffs, making him far and away the 76ers’ most important player. But his body has not cooperated. He recently returned from an emergency appendectomy that kept him out of the first three games of Philadelphia’s first-round series against the Boston Celtics, a series the Sixers still managed to win in seven games after rallying from a 3-1 deficit.
Joel Embiid Listed Questionable For Game 3 vs. Knicks
The 76ers have listed Embiid questionable for Friday’s Game 3 at home against New York, carrying a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness into the injury report. He struggled in Game 1, scoring 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting in just 25 minutes before the starters were pulled with the game out of reach. The Knicks won that opener 137-98.
The Knicks repeatedly took advantage of his lack of mobility in Game 1 to create open shots, exposing just how limited Embiid was even when he was on the floor. He sat out Game 2 entirely after waking up with significant soreness, and the 76ers lost 108-102 to fall into a 2-0 hole.
Philadelphia is now facing a must-win situation in a series where their best player has not been healthy or fully available for either game. The Sixers are the No. 7 seed and already the heavy underdog against the third-seeded Knicks. Without Embiid at or near full strength, their path forward looks increasingly difficult.
Joel Embiid (ankle, hip) listed questionable for Friday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 7, 2026
It remains unclear whether the hip soreness is connected to Embiid’s recent appendectomy. Coach Nick Nurse has not ruled him out, but the questionable tag signals significant uncertainty heading into tipoff. Game 3 between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks tips off Friday at Wells Fargo Center.
