Sixers rule out Joel Embiid for Game 2 vs. Knicks

The Sixers won’t have their anchor. Now they’ll have to adjust on the fly.

Philadelphia has ruled out Joel Embiid for Game 2 against the Knicks, per the NBA injury report. What began as a probable tag turned into an absence, with Embiid dealing with a right ankle sprain and added hip soreness. He didn’t make it to shootaround.

Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the soreness increased following Game 1, and Embiid has been receiving around-the-clock treatment in hopes of playing. It wasn’t enough to get him cleared.

Embiid had been central to Philadelphia’s first-round comeback against Boston, averaging 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in Games 5 through 7. The Sixers outscored the Celtics by 31 points with him on the floor in those wins. He wasn’t at that level in Game 1 against New York, finishing with 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Adem Bona and Andre Drummond are expected to handle most of the center minutes. Both saw time in the Boston series, with Drummond averaging more than 24 minutes per game in that stretch.

Around the league, this is where depth gets tested. Playoff series can swing quickly when a top option is unavailable, especially against a team with momentum.

The Sixers still have scoring on the perimeter. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Paul George will be asked to carry more of the load, likely with increased usage across the board.

Philadelphia has responded before. This is a different challenge.

Game 2 will show how much they can compensate without Embiid.