Embiid’s torn thumb ligament is a real pain

With a brief rest, the necessary protocol results and a sturdy mask, Joel Embiid was able to return relatively quickly from a concussion and a cracked orbital bone.

Those situations, however, remain the least of his physical troubles.

According to Sixers coach Doc Rivers, Embiid is still struggling with a torn ligament in his shooting-hand thumb that will not be cured without surgery.

“I actually think that’s bothering him more than the mask,” Rivers said before Game 5 of a second-round series Tuesday night in Miami. “The mask slides on him at times, but I would say — and I don’t ask — that it’s probably his hand that bothers him more.”

Embiid was injured in Game 3 of the first-round series in Toronto and immediately seemed uncomfortable catching, passing, shooting and handling the ball. His head troubles occurred in Game 6 against the Raptors and required him to miss the first two games of the Heat series. He returned to play behind a face shield but was something less than himself offensively in Games 3 and 4, making only a combined 12 shots from the field and just one of three three-point attempts.

The Sixers have stressed that playing cannot worsen the thumb injury. So Embiid will deal with it at the offensive end and remain a force 94 feet away.

“I feel like I pride myself, really, defensively,” he said after Game 3. “And I feel like that’s where my presence is really felt, on the defensive end. By playing, I thought I could have a huge impact.”

• • • Kyle Lowry, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, was ineffective in the two games at the Wells Fargo Center. For that, the Philadelphia native was scratched again Tuesday.

“We’ve dealt with it before,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said. “We’ve dealt with all the different rotation challenges, and that’s just what we’re dealing with right now. We have plenty of guys that can step up; it can look a little bit different, but we’ve had recent experience with it.”

Lowry was injured in Game 3 of the Heat’s first-round series against Atlanta and tweaked the hamstring late in a Sunday night loss to the Sixers. In the two games in Philadelphia, Lowry shot a combined 3-for-14 with five turnovers. He remains day-to-day, according to Spoelstra, who has been turning to Gabe Vincent as a replacement.

••• According to the oddsmakers — whose foresight rarely is blurry — Rivers remains a strong possibility to coach the Lakers next season.

There is also another candidate gaining oddsboard traction: Recently retired Villanova coach Jay Wright, who has made noises that he someday might like to coach in the NBA.

While Terry Stotts is at the top of the SportsBetting.ag odds board at 2-1, Rivers is a tight second at 3-1 to be the next coach of LeBron James. There remain 17 betting options, with Wright 11th on the list at 16-1.

Basketball-chatter site HoopsHype.com has reported that the Lakers are being deliberate in their search in part because they want to see if Rivers or Utah’s Quin Snyder (121) become available.

Rivers is signed through the 2024-25 season but could face job insecurity should the Sixers fail to make it into the third round of the playoffs.