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It looks like Joel Embiid will be able to take the floor for the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday as the Sixers face off against the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the series.
The 25-year-old is currently dealing with an illness, which caused him to miss morning shootaround.
However, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Embiid might be able to give it a go.
Joel Embiid (gastroenteritis) missed shootaround Monday. He is listed as probable for Game 2, per the Sixers.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 29, 2019
Embiid has been struggling with injuries of late, as he was also dealing with a left knee issue in their Game 1 defeat on Saturday. He struggled with his shot in that one, going only 5-of-18 from the floor en route to 16 points (his lowest scoring output in five playoffs appearances thus far), along with one three-pointer, eight rebounds, and two assists in 30 minutes of play.
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This same knee issue also caused Embiid to sit out Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, and it currently remains unclear if he has already shaken off this issue completely.
The Sixers will definitely need their star big man for Game 2, as the team will need to pull off all the stops to try and stop Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard, who dropped a monster 45-point, 11-rebound double-double in Game 1.
It is already an extremely difficult task trying to hold off Leonard as it is, and Embiid's potential absence in the middle of the paint will even make the task even more daunting for Philadelphia.
Game 2 is not exactly a must-win game for the Sixers, but they will prefer to head into Game 3 in Philadelphia with the series tied at one game apiece as opposed to being in a 2-0 hole.
