Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid practiced again today but he still isn’t doing any live stuff #Sixers
Joel Embiid's status for Game 1 of Philadelphia's playoff series is still unknown because of a cartilage tear in his knee. The 76ers center remained day to day, and coach Doc Rivers said no decision has been made on the All-Star's availability for Game 1 against Atlanta. The Sixers are set to open their second-round playoff series with the Hawks at home Sunday.
Embiid has small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. He did not participate in live drills during Friday's practice. “He's got to go through his treatment,” Rivers said Friday. “As far as when we were doing shooting and stuff like that, he looked great. It's too early (to rule him out). I don't want to say one way or the other. We'll just find that out.”
Tom Moore: #Sixers veteran center Dwight Howard: '(Joel Embiid) looked good. His movement looked good laterally. I think he should be ready to go, (but) we don't want to rush him back. ... He looked like his old self.'
Candace Buckner: Joel Embiid (not playing tonight) walked on the floor to loud applause from the growing number of fans in the bldg. He’s taking jump shots around the perimeter, which has to be a decent* sign. * considering he has a lateral meniscus tear, pretty much any sign is “decent” pic.twitter.com/2Br4zKrKQP
Ky Carlin: Joel Embiid is getting some work in pregame #Sixers pic.twitter.com/z54YPRAR8j
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers says Embiid is bothered because of the injury since he’s a competitior #Sixers
Noah Levick: Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid is "hanging in there." "Our job is to keep his spirits up and keep pushing him to get ready.'
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sixers center Joel Embiid has a small meniscus tear in his right knee and will be day-to-day, team says. He's out for Game 5 tonight.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Joel Embiid will be doubtful for Game 5, sources tell ESPN. He had an MRI on his right knee today, and is expected to be evaluated further in next day.
Keith Pompey: The Sixers doctor and trainer are out of the locker room
Derek Bodner: Embiid, Korkmaz and Milton will play. Thybulle remains out.
Noah Levick: Doc Rivers says he thinks Matisse Thybulle (left hand swelling) is 50-50 for tonight's game vs. Orlando. He believes Joel Embiid, Furkan Korkmaz and Shake Milton will be available.
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid, Furkan Korkmaz, and Shake Milton are probable tonight. Matisse Thybulle is questionable #Sixers
Tony East: Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, Edmond Sumner, Myles Turner, and TJ Warren are OUT for the Pacers tonight against the 76ers. JaKarr Sampson has been upgraded to questionable as he recovers from a concussion. Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz are OUT. Joel Embiid is questionable.
Chase Hughes: Robin Lopez will play tonight after missing last game with a left ankle sprain, per Scott Brooks.
Ky Carlin: Joel Embiid is now out today with the right shoulder soreness #Sixers
Noah Levick: Ben Simmons (illness) is out tonight, Doc Rivers says tonight. Joel Embiid will play. Rivers says he's counting on Tobias Harris and Seth Curry being available.
Kyle Neubeck: Curry, Simmons, Harris all missing this one tonight. Surprised Embiid is going but let’s see how this goes pic.twitter.com/8UCBdi6hiE
Derek Bodner: "A lot of guys are on the brink of either way (playing or not)," Doc Rivers says of his availability. "Instead of going by name, I think it's easier to just say it that way." Seth Curry, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons were all questionable on the 1:30 injury report
Noah Levick: Joel Embiid (left knee recovery) and Seth Curry (left hip flexor recovery) have been added to the injury report as questionable. Tobias Harris (right knee soreness) and Ben Simmons (illness) remain questionable.
Derek Bodner: The Sixers say that Joel Embiid (left knee bone bruise) is progressing well and has resumed on-court basketball activities, while ramping up his conditioning. The next update will be provided as appropriate.
MVP candidate Joel Embiid is expected to be reevaluated at the end of the week for the bone bruise on his left knee. Embiid has been out since March 12. There is no established return date for the Philadelphia 76ers All-Star. The organization will be extremely cautious and wait patiently until he’s back to MVP form physically and mentally, league sources told Yahoo Sports. The objective is to make sure he’s 100 percent ready to go for the playoffs, sources said.
The Jump: How worried are you about Joel Embiid's injury? "I'm not concerned anymore. I was concerned when the injury happen. 3 weeks is a long time. The 2nd half of the season is loaded. These games are important" - @Doc Rivers #NBA #NBATwitter #TheJump #HereTheyCome
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid is great and happy that his injury wasn’t as bad as everybody thought it was. “He was in a pretty good place,” Rivers said. #Sixers
Rich Hoffman: Doc Rivers said there are no restrictions on Ben Simmons, who hard a "hard workout" yesterday. And on Joel Embiid, who was happy his injury isn't season ending: "Now that he knows all it takes is rehab, he has a game plan and we have a game plan that we're moving forward with."
Shams Charania: 76ers MVP candidate Joel Embiid is expected to miss 2-to-3 weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Keith Pompey: Sources confirm that Joel Embiid’s MRI revealed a no structural damage to the Sixers center’s left knee and that he has a bone bruise. There is no timetable for his return. @Ramona Shelburne and @Adrian Wojnarowski first reported this news.
Adrian Wojnarowski: ESPN Sources with @Ramona Shelburne: Philadelphia Sixers star Joel Embiid's MRI showed no structural damage to his left knee, just a bone bruise. ACL and meniscus are fine. No timeline yet on a return.
He is still expected to miss time with the bone bruise, sources said, but there's significant relief within Sixers that the injury isn't something much worse. Embiid left Friday night's game when he hyperextended his left knee after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter.
Embiid had a similarly scary situation last month when he hyperextended his right knee in an awkward fall against the Portland Trail Blazers after blocking an Enes Kanter layup. In that game, Embiid returned a few minutes later and dominated, scoring 31 first-half points in a matchup Philadelphia eventually lost.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia's Joel Embiid will undergo an MRI on his left knee, sources tell ESPN. He left tonight's game vs. Washington after a hard fall to floor.
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he's "hoping for the best" as the team waits for an MRI on Joel Embiid's hyperextended left knee, which he suffered after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter of Friday night's 127-101 win over the Washington Wizards. "[He] just fell awkwardly," Rivers said, adding that Embiid will have the MRI after the team returns to Philadelphia later Friday night. "Thought there was a little contact when we went up to dunk the ball. Thought he fell with his balance off.
Kyle Neubeck: Tobias Harris on Embiid: “We’re just praying he’ll be okay and be healthy. We know how important Joel is to the team.” Mentions it’s especially tough since he knows how much time and effort Embiid has put into taking care of his body this year.
Chris W. Crouse: Joel Embiid says his back woes this season started with the fall against the Lakers (and LeBron’s foul). Called the ailment “not alarming.”
Rich Hoffman: Joel Embiid on his back: "It was pretty tight, but I just wanted to make sure we got the win." Said he wanted to give it a shot in the second half, but ends with, "I'll be fine."
Keith Pompey: Joel Embiid is now out with back tightness
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid participated in shootaround tonight. Doc Rivers says he’s playing tonight #Sixers
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid practiced today. Doc Rivers said he looked fine and looked good. #Sixers
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid, who is out tonight: “I don’t know if he took a step backwards, [his back] is still sore from the fall.” #Sixers
Derek Bodner: Joel Embiid is out tonight with back tightness. #sixers
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid remains Questionable for the #Sixers tonight vs. #Pacers. Terrance Ferguson (health and safety protocols) and Mike Scott (knee) are out tonight.
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid is ruled out tonight with back tightness #Sixers #Pistons
Derek Bodner: Doc Rivers says that he expect Joel Embiid (knee) to be able to play tomorrow. #sixers
Tom Moore: #Sixers coach Doc Rivers expects Joel Embiid to play Wednesday. Said he was 'in and out of practice' today.
Shams Charania: 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are out today vs. Denver due to injury, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium .
Noah Levick: Joel Embiid will play and start tonight.
Noah Levick: Brett Brown said there's no reason for concern with Joel Embiid's right hand as it relates to playing the Celtics. Embiid had negative X-rays on the hand Wednesday.
Serena Winters: Joel Embiid still listed as questionable on this morning's injury report (with left ankle soreness). Glenn Robinson III also questionable (left hip pointer). #Sixers #Rockets tipoff tonight at 9PM on @NBCSPhilly
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid left after being hit in the right wrist in the first half of the Sixers' 125-121 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and didn't return. The Sixers said Embiid got an X-ray at halftime that came back negative. Embiid, who is coming off an ankle injury he suffered in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, was already going to be held to limited minutes, so he was kept out the remainder of the game.
A source told ESPN's Malika Andrews the team isn't concerned about there being a serious injury to Embiid's wrist. "I really don't know a lot to share," Sixers coach Brett Brown said after the game. "I do know it was whacked twice. As it relates to what's next, or the evaluation of it, I am sorry, I can't comment on that."
Shams Charania: Philadelphia star Joel Embiid (left ankle) will return to 76ers lineup tonight against Toronto, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Adrian Wojnarowski: There's optimism that the Embiid ankle injury isn't serious and that he'll be back soon, sources tell ESPN.
The Sixers' number of available All-Stars has dropped from two to zero this week. Joel Embiid left Sunday's game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter with a left ankle injury and the Sixers fell, 124-121. They're now 42-28 and next play the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
"I'm going to learn more physically," Brett Brown said after the game. "I don't know enough to comment on it. ... Joel was fully engaged as a teammate. As it relates to what his injury is or what it actually means, I can't comment. I don't know. But it was great just to see him being a part of the group."
May 31, 2023 | 5:53 am EDT Update
“Adrian Griffin, new head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks… The fact that Giannis wanted him so much – you have to take his voice strongly into account.” @ShamsCharania on Giannis endorsing #Bucks to hire Adrian Griffin as their new head coach 🤝
Scott Perry, Knicks parting ways

Scott Perry arrived as the Knicks’ general manager in 2017, tasked with bringing stability to a franchise in turmoil. He achieved that, settling the waters and bridging the gap as a new front office took hold around him. But with his contract running out shortly, Newsday has learned that Perry is not returning. A source confirmed that Perry will move on when his contract expires this summer. The legacy will be stability and success in an organization that had rarely seen it for two decades.

Brown is entering the final campaign of the four-year, $106 million extension he signed in 2019. There has been a train of thought that Brown’s supermax eligibility could ultimately be what keeps him in a Celtics uniform because of the money he’d be passing up if he left. It’s roughly $100 million more than the standard maximum extension he could sign with the Celtics or another team, and $40 million more than the standard maximum contract Boston, could re-sign him to in 2024.
The Celtics will almost certainly be taxpayers in 2024-25 if Jaylen Brown signs his supermax extension. That means if they remain taxpayers in 2023-24 as well, then they will enter the repeater tax starting in 2025-26. That will significantly raise their tax rates and that is also the first season tax rates will rise sharply starting at the third tax level (roughly $11 million over the tax line). The exact payroll they had for 2022-23 would equate to a $64 million higher tax penalty in 2025-26.
It goes without saying that alarm bells on Brown’s future will ring if he doesn’t extend with the Celtics this summer. But it seems like a strong likelihood that Boston will have both Brown and Jayson Tatum under contract for a long time. Speaking of which, Tatum also became supermax eligible by earning All-NBA honors this season. His is projected at five years, $295 million, but he can’t sign it until the 2024 offseason.

Pincus recently appeared on 105.3 The Fan to discuss his reporting about the Mavs. When describing the “buzz” he’s heard about a possible “handshake deal” for the Mavs and Irving, Pincus made clear that it’s not based on something he’s heard directly from either the team or player’s representation. Rather, it’s something that people around the NBA have mentioned. “I was at the NBA combine and spoke to a lot of different people, and so, I wouldn’t want to put out, like these are — it’s not the Mavericks. It’s not, Kyrie or his people saying there’s a deal done,” Pincus said. “There’s just the general buzz around the NBA that when they made the [midseason trade] that they pretty much had an understanding that they would keep Kyrie Irving and pay him to stay.”
“I wouldn’t think in anything with Kyrie and I know that the Mavericks can’t actually negotiate numbers, but teams tend to work around the rules without breaking them. And maybe they break ’em in spirit, but they stay within the lines,” Pincus said. “So I wouldn’t think that the Mavs have done anything untoward. I’m just saying, there’s a reasonable likelihood that at least according to the people I speak to, that Kyrie will will be back.”
Draymond Green would have picked Caleb Martin over Jimmy Butler for East Finals MVP

“Jimmy actually finished with 28-6-7, had a much better game today than he’s had the past three and Jimmy is their guy. We know that. Never taking anything away from Jimmy. Congrats to him on the award.” Green made it clear that he had immense respect for Butler’s contributions to the Heat, acknowledging that none of their success would have been possible without the star player. However, he argued that Martin’s consistent performance across the board deserved recognition. “If I had a vote, I personally was voting for Caleb Martin for MVP,” Green stated. “I think he was extremely consistent across the board. I think he was really good across the board.”