Joel Embiid Out for Game 2

Jo Jo will sit out Game 2 of the Sixers first round series against the Miami Heat. Although, he has cleared the concussion protocol.

After watching the Sixers dominate the Heat without Embiid last night, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The Sixers have proven they can compete without Joel, so there’s no need to rush him back.

If the Sixers had lost last night, I would think there would have been a strong chance of Embiid playing in Game 2. I wouldn’t read into this situation as anything more than a combination of confidence (in the team’s ability to win without the All-Star center) and precaution (surrounding Embiid’s injury).

To build further on that, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Embiid not playing at all in the first round if the sans-Embiid Sixers continue to handle the Heat. Obviously, that sentiment could totally change by the end of tomorrow night, but I think it’s worth considering. It could come down to weighing the value of getting Jo reps vs. making sure he’s 100%, if the Heat aren’t able to make it a series. But, yeah, it’s early, so.