Joel Embiid officially in against Miami

Philadelphia: Joel Embiid (facial fracture / right thumb sprain) has been upgraded to available.
Source: Alberto De Roa @ HoopsHype

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Seeing the Bam version we saw in games 1 and 2 since he’s dominating the non-Embiid minutes
But can’t get away from attack when he enters
Get him in the open floor as a roller then – 8:46 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Heat win five Embiid-less minutes 16-11.
Good enough to take the lead, but still feels like they didn’t take full advantage. – 8:46 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Miami has done a great job pushing the ball and getting early offense against the Sixers with Reed in the game. Lowry as always the leader of that.
Huge Bam stretch against the Sixers with Embiid out of the game. Think Doc is gonna have to think about that moving forward. – 8:46 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Key minutes with Embiid on the bench. Bam matched up against Paul Reed. Bam dominated this matchup in the first two games. – 8:38 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
That convo all season about maybe the Heat switch too much w/ Bam? That is finally coming into play against Embiid.
Sixers just getting a guard switched onto Embiid and Embiid is getting deep position.
Zone is helpful, but might need to experiment with Bam not switching. – 8:37 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Doc Rivers has to be happy with the Sixers’ first-quarter shooting. They made 11 of 17 shots (64.7%), including going 4-7 on threes. Embiid has 15 points on 5-6 shooting. They Sixers need to get Harris going, tho. He has 2 points on 1-3 shooting. Harden has 0 on 0-3 shooting. – 8:36 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
After 1: Philly 30, Miami 28. Probably the single-best quarter of the series from a combined execution standpoint – and that’s with the 76ers committing five turnovers and Heat shooting 42 percent (it’s a low bar).
Embiid has 15 for Philly. Tucker and Oladipo have 7 for Miami. – 8:36 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
That was the best played quarter of the series from both teams: Sixers lead it 30-28.
Joel Embiid played all 12 minutes and had 15 points. Seems like biggest contrast of styles in this game is when Miami goes to PJ Tucker at center. Small on one end, more shooting on the other. – 8:36 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Embiid had 18 points in all of Game 3. Had 15 in the first quarter tonight. – 8:35 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Sixers up 30-28 at the end of 1. Embiid has 15 on 5-6 shooting to lead the way, playing the full 12 minutes so far.
The Sixers are shooting 4-7 from deep, helping them overcome their turnover (-3) and offensive rebounding (-2) deficits. – 8:35 PM Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Embiid(15pts) played all 12 mins of opening quarter. – 8:34 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Sixers 30, Heat 28 at the end of the first. Embiid was terrific with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting and 4-of-4 from the line. Sixers made 11 of their 17 shots but committed five turnovers for eight points. Heat have seven second-chance points. – 8:34 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Miami did a pretty good job fronting Embiid at times in that quarter, but “Gabe Vincent hanging onto Embiid for dear life” was a pretty big step down from that – 8:34 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
The @Philadelphia 76ers lead, 30-28, after Q1.
Joel Embiid’s first quarter: 15 PTS / 3 REB / 5-6 fg – 8:34 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
End of first quarter: 76ers 30, Heat 28. Joel Embiid with 15 points. – 8:34 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
76ers 30, Heat 28 after first. Embiid with 15 points. – 8:33 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Harden’s foul trouble is especially troublesome because he’s the Sixers’ best passer by a mile when the Heat are fronting Embiid on a switch. – 8:26 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Victor Oladipo has been great to start this game. Aggressive on both ends of the court, and his defense on Harden allows the Heat to slide Tucker onto Embiid. – 8:25 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers starters Harris and James Harden each have two fouls. Game is tied at 20 with 2:53 left in first quarter. Joel Embiid has 11 points to lead #76ers – 8:24 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
I know Embiid made that last (banked) 3, but his two attempts have been way off target. Not sure if it’s the mask or the thumb (probably both), but he doesn’t look comfortable shooting from deep. – 8:21 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Joel Embiid has now missed a three to the left by about two feet and then just fired one in off the backboard that was about four feet long. Miami would probably be wise to let him just take those shots and live with the results with this mask on. – 8:21 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Home crowd loved that Embiid defense on Oladipo. He’s also 3-of-4 to start this game. Looking more comfortable than Friday. – 8:20 PM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
Heat trying to attack Embiid in p&r. Had some success doing so in Game 3. Wrote about that today: nba.com/news/5-things-… – 8:20 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid stuck with every dribble move Victor Oladipo just tried to pull and the crowd here loved it. Embiid and as egging the crowd on for more. #Sixers – 8:19 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers crowd goes wild after Embiid knocks the ball away from guard Oladipo, then the MVP finalist exhorts the fans. – 8:19 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Joel Embiid’s defense on Oladipo just now… 👀
Crowd loved it too. – 8:19 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Small-ball look for Miami. Embiid and Tucker are defending each other. – 8:16 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
The Heat are going small here. P.J. Tucker at the 5 and he’s defending Joel Embiid. #Sixers – 8:15 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
76ers getting the defenders they want on Embiid early by using the Heat’s switching against them. We’ll see what Miami’s adjustment will be. – 8:14 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Sixers are doing a nice job early of getting the right switches onto Embiid (not Tucker, essentially) and finding him. Two buckets for Joel and a Danny Green Cut for 3 out of that situation.
The bad: Four Miami offensive rebounds on six shots. – 8:12 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Sixers have done a better job early of looking for Embiid when Miami switches. Four easy points for him there already, plus a pair at the line after taking it at Bam – 8:11 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
If the Heat are going to switch that pick-and-roll every time and have a smaller guy on Joel Embiid, then he has to get the ball. That’s obviously a huge mismatch every time. #Sixers – 8:09 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
A thought: Keep an eye on Doc Rivers trying to get Bam Adebayo to switch out on James Harden early. If Adebayo gets in early foul trouble, options are limited against Joel Embiid with Dewayne Dedmon out. – 7:42 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
76ers again opening with Embiid, Harris, Green, Harden, Maxey. – 7:32 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Good @Philadelphia 76ers news:
Joel Embiid is in and starting. – 7:30 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Joel Embiid will play. – 7:30 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid is in and will start #Sixers – 7:30 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Embiid is in for tonight, officially – 7:30 PM Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Joel Embiid is cleared to play #Sixers – 7:30 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid warm up for Game 4 #Sixers pic.twitter.com/mdSslauPH0 – 7:11 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Doc Rivers on how Joel Embiid came off of his Game 3 return: “He’s really weathering the storm and getting through stuff.” Wrote yesterday about how the Sixers, now with Embiid back, feel they must do to even this series tonight 👇
inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… – 6:57 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Heat coach Erik Spolestra on dealing with #Sixers star center Joel Embiid: pic.twitter.com/uv1JV4Hml6 – 6:36 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Erik Spoelstra on Joel Embiid:
“He’s an MVP-caliber player. He puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your team defense.” – 6:34 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Doc Rivers on Kyle Lowry:
“He’ll be better tonight.”
Said it was same situation of a return with Embiid, and starting slow – 6:20 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Doc Rivers said a key to Joel Embiid’s return was forcing Bam Adebayo into higher passing angles. – 6:20 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid “feels good” heading into Game 4 tonight #Sixers – 6:17 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid in these playoffs:
“He’s really weathering the storm.” – 6:17 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid “feels good.” He has been listed as questionable for tonight. “He’s really weathering the storm and getting through stuff.” – 6:17 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
If you’re forced to go a bit smaller with Morris, yes it puts a ton of pressure on the Embiid minutes defensively
But it also stretches the floor on the other end
Embiid as the weakside helper with his man in the dunker spot is much different than his man in the corner – 5:48 PM Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
From PM: Bam assesses the situation against Embiid, discusses whether Joel is altering his approach and what must change. PLUS how Bam has done against each of his primary defenders. And Lowry, schedule update, more: miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 9:38 AM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Jimmy Butler had a great game 3, yet was 1 for 5 from the field against Embiid
But that’s mostly when he’s a help defender
Just want to restate that I think this is another Butler game tonight
They will put him in the action, and Butler will have driving lanes – 8:49 AM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
76ers draw $50,000 fine for violating injury reporting rules regarding star Joel Embiid
sportando.basketball/en/76ers-draw-… – 4:45 AM Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
From AM: Embiid addresses his return, motivation from Bam, strategy against Heat and a fan issue: miamiherald.com/sports/spt-col… – 9:46 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Going back to Miami with a 2-2 split is definitely much better than going back down 3-1. Joel Embiid and the rest of the team understand this as they head into Game 4. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/lists/joel-emb… via @SixersWire – 9:11 PM Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
What Bam says he must do better/different against Embiid and a look at how they matched up. And Lowry reacts to scoreless game. And schedule update: miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 9:09 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Bam Adebayo ate the Sixers alive in the 1st 2 games. Joel Embiid returned and put a stop to all of that. The big fella received all the credit for shutting down the Heat big man. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/05/07/six… via @SixersWire – 8:06 PM

More on this storyline

Austin Krell: Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid is feeling fine and getting better. Says he took a hit on his other hand, but adds that that’s the way the playoffs go. Embiid is listed as questionable for Game 4. -via Twitter @NBAKrell / May 8, 2022 Marc Stein: The Sixers were fined $50,000 for improperly reporting Joel Embiid’s Game 3 status — twice the Suns’ fine for a similar infraction with Devin Booker. The reasoning: Philly said Embiid was out when he was doubtful, then listed him doubtful when it should have been questionable. -via Twitter @TheSteinLine / May 7, 2022 Tim Bontemps: The 76ers have been fined $50,000 for not following the injury reporting rules regarding Joel Embiid yesterday. The Phoenix Suns were hit for the same amount for how they handled Devin Booker’s status last week. -via Twitter @TimBontemps / May 7, 2022