Court collision lands Embiid in hospital; 76ers still well
PHILADELPHIA » With Joel Embiid, or for much of the time Wednesday without him, the 76ers continue to- ward securing prime, first-round postseason positioning.
Though Embiid suffered a facial contusion in the second quarter, played just 8 minutes, 32 sec- onds, and later was transported to a local hospital for further tests, the Sixers ran a winning streak to eight games with a 118-101 victory over the New York Knicks.
Embiid collided with Markelle Fultz near the top of the key at the Sixers’ offensive end, collapsed to the floor and remained there for over a minute. He retreated to the locker room, not the bench.
“I’m not sure what happened,” Fultz said. “I hit him and I am really worried about him. I believe he is OK. And it was just something that unfortunately happened. I am going to check on him.
“I was going for the ball when it happened. My heart dropped, because I knew that he hit me. But he is a tough guy and he is going to be OK. All I can do is pray for him, and that’s that.”
According to the Sixers, Embiid passed the “initial concussion protocol” before leaving for the hospital.
Since Amir Johnson was a pregame scratch with what Brett Brown called flu-like symptoms, the Sixers were down to Richaun Holmes as their only true center. Ersan Ilyasova and Dario Saric were available to fill in. Saric, playing mostly at his usual forward spot, provided energy, 26 points, 14 rebounds and a second-quarter play that could define the season.
With the Sixers up by one after earlier leading by 16, Saric made a diving recovery of a loose ball near midcourt and quickly forwarded it to a speeding Ben Simmons for a breakaway dunk.
“I saw an opportunity,” Saric said. “All my life, if I saw a 50-50 chance, if I needed to jump on my head, I would jump. It’s not the first time for me. When Ben dunked, I was so full of energy.”
The Sixers led, 67-63, at halftime, but limited the Knicks to 17 thirdquarter points and 38 in the second half to improve to 44-30. When Cleveland won in Charlotte to go to 45-30, the Sixers remained in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
J.J. Redick scored 21 points. Robert Covington added 17. Holmes played 21:56 and provided 15 points. Michael Beasley and Emmanuel Mudiay scored 22 apiece for the Knicks.
Brown had no further report on Embiid. Either way, it was widely believed he was looking to rest his center at some point in the final eight regular-season games. The Sixers will be off Thursday and play Friday in Atlanta.
*** With Fultz having played well in his 14-minute return Monday, Brown had the same plan for him Wednesday … as a backup to Ben Simmons. That necessitated more off-the-ball minutes for T.J. McConnell.
“T.J. just finds a way to impact the game,” Brown said. “He’s played with Ben. He’s played without Ben. He’s been a point. He’s been a two. He’s been with me a long time. There is a corporate knowledge that is valued. And there is toughness that he finds a way to impact the game.”
McConnell is not the standard, shoot-first NBA off-guard.
“What he might miss in perimeter shooting potency or credibility on scouting reports,” Brown said, “he makes up for, in my mind, ten-fold with the other peripheral things.”
Fultz shot 1-for-5 in 13:35 Wednesday, including 1-for-2 from the line, where his form was respectable. He had seven assists and no turnovers. In the two games since his return from shoulder trouble, he has 15 assists and one turnover.
*** With 10 games, the Sixers gave themselves just enough time to ready Fultz for the playoffs … or to find out that he is not ready for the postseason.
“There is the gut-feel, the fit with other people,” Brown said. “Is there a fit? Does he always have to be Ben’s backup? Is he ready just to play basketball in March? I asked him about his greatest concern. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t blink. He said he didn’t want to hurt the team.
“That judgment is on me. And the risk vs. the reward, all day, every day, I was willing to live with.”
Brown’s early reaction to the Fultz re-boot?
“He is better than I thought,” he said. “He has an amazing basketball body. He is long. And what he misses from not having played, he makes up for with his physical gifts.”
*** NOTES » Justin Anderson (ankle) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (knee) were scratched. … The Sixers’ G-League Delaware 87ers will be rebranded as the Delaware Blue Coats next season.