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Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is out for Game 2 against the New York Knicks with ankle and hip injuries.
No, Joel Embiid is not playing tonight. The Philadelphia 76ers ruled Embiid out for Game 2 against the New York Knicks because of a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness.
The decision came after Embiid was initially listed as probable, making the late downgrade a major shift for a 76ers team already trailing the Knicks 1-0 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Associated Press reported that Philadelphia added the hip issue and ruled Embiid out on the injury report about six hours before tipoff.
UPDATE: 6:31 p.m. EST: ESPN’s Lisa Salters reported that Embiid is day-to-day going forward.
The 76ers officially announced Andre Drummond will start for the Sixers.
Key points:
Embiid was unable to participate in the team’s shootaround this morning after experiencing increased soreness in both his ankle and hip, sources said. He had been receiving around-the-clock treatment in efforts to play. https://t.co/IUY2HK77KE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 6, 2026
Embiid will not play for the 76ers against the Knicks in Game 2.
The 76ers’ official injury report listed Embiid out with two injuries: a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness. He had previously been listed as probable with the ankle injury before the hip issue was added.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Embiid did not participate in the team’s shootaround after experiencing increased soreness in both his ankle and hip. NBC Sports Philadelphia also reported that Embiid had been receiving treatment in an effort to play before the 76ers made the final call.
That is a significant change for Philadelphia because Embiid was not just questionable or doubtful entering the day. He was expected to have a real chance to play, then was downgraded before the game.
The timing also matters because the 76ers are trying to respond to a rough Game 1. Embiid scored 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes during the Knicks’ 137-98 win, with Philadelphia’s starters sitting late once the game was out of reach.
Without Embiid, the 76ers lose their best interior scorer, their most important half-court pressure point and the player most capable of forcing the Knicks to change their defensive coverage.
Embiid is not coming back tonight because he was ruled out before tipoff.
That distinction is important. This was not an in-game injury situation where Embiid went to the locker room and could potentially return. The 76ers made him inactive before Game 2, meaning Philadelphia has to play the entire night without him.
The next meaningful update will be the 76ers’ injury report before Game 3.
For now, there is no official public timeline for Embiid’s return in this series. The team’s next injury designation will be the clearest indicator of whether this is a one-game absence or something that could continue beyond Game 2.
That uncertainty is part of why the late downgrade is such a big development for Philadelphia. The 76ers are not only trying to avoid a 2-0 series hole. They are also trying to manage the health of a star center who has already dealt with multiple issues during this postseason run.
Reuters reported that Embiid missed the first three games of Philadelphia’s first-round series against the Boston Celtics after an emergency appendectomy, then returned and averaged 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists over the final four games of that series.
That context makes Game 2 about more than one absence. It raises a larger question about how much Philadelphia can realistically ask of Embiid if he returns later in the series.
The 76ers announced their official starting lineup.
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: VJ Edgecombe
SF: Paul George
PF: Kelly Oubre Jr.
C: Andre Drummond
Adem Bona started against the Celtics in Round 1 and is the simplest plug-in option because he allows Philadelphia to keep size on the floor against a Knicks team that can pressure the paint and the glass. Another viable option could be veteran power rebounder Andre Drummond.
If Nurse wants more mobility or a different defensive look, Philadelphia could also use smaller groups and ask Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and and Quentin Grimes to carry more of the two-way burden around Maxey.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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