Preparation for playoff basketball can be intense and demanding, but sometimes victory hinges on health.
Philadelphia 76ers starting center Joel Embiid has unexpectedly been ruled out for Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Knicks.
ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed that ongoing hip and ankle injuries have once again sidelined him.
Bookmakers responded swiftly after this news, with the Knicks’ odds shifting from 7.5-point favorites to 10.5 and rising.
The Knicks, who were once priced -295 on the moneyline, are now commanding -500 favorites (BetRivers) to win Game 2 and take a 2-0 series lead.
Sixty-nine percent of bets at DraftKings Sportsbook are riding on the Knicks’ new moneyline price, while 64 percent of the market is betting on another blowout victory and for them to cover the updated spread.
This injury setback is disappointing for Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers, who aim to recover from their 39-point loss at Madison Square Garden in Monday’s Game 1.
After opening as -250 to win the series outright at BetMGM before Game 1, the Knicks are now -600 to advance to the East finals, and the Over 5.5 games total, which sat at -130, has ballooned to +120 odds.
Embiid’s availability has consistently been scrutinized. The perennial All-Star is highly impactful when healthy, but has faced unfortunate injuries.
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In the Sixers’ opening-round upset of the Celtics, he missed the first three games while recovering from an emergency appendectomy.
Head coach Mike Brown attacked Embiid heavily in the Knicks’ offensive scheme, and Philly had no answer for Jalen Brunson, who scored 35 points in Game 1.
The next players expected to step up for the Sixers are likely former UConn big Andre Drummond and shot blocker Adem Bona.
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
