Joel Embiid Appears Ready to Start Sixers’ Game 3 vs. Heat

It looks like Philadelphia Sixers center will start Friday night’s Game 3 against the Miami Heat.

Head coach Doc Rivers told reporters pregame that “we still don’t know yet”. However, all signs seem to point to him playing.  Rivers said Embiid will go through pregame warmups and see how he feels.

The reported timeline for Embiid to return was reported as indefinitely after the center went down with orbital fracture and concussion.

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Since Embiid was sidelined with the injury late in the fourth quarter of a Game 6 win against Toronto in Round 1, the Sixers have gone 0-2 in the games that have followed in Round 2 without him against the top-seeded Heat.

Before going down, the center averaged  26.1 points per game, leading the Sixers offense.

DeAndre Jordan replaced Embiid in the starting lineup. In the two games as a starter, Jordan has averaged five points, 3.5 rebounds in 15 minutes per contest.

Paul Reed has also seen an uptick in minutes (18 per game) with Embiid on the shelf the past two games. If Embiid returns, expect Reed to resume his role as the main backup with Jordan going back to the bench

Game 3 tips off from Wells Faro Center at 7 p.m. on 97.3 ESPN South Jersey's Sixers Station.