76ers' Doc Rivers 'not sure' when Joel Embiid (knee) will return

NEW YORK — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said his message to both injured superstar Joel Embiid and the rest of his team ahead of Game 4 of their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center was the same: dealing with Embiid's latest postseason injury is just another thing to manage in what Rivers and the 76ers hope will be a long and successful playoff run.

«Obviously, clearly that's on your mind,» Rivers said of Embiid's injury history after he suffered a right knee sprain in Philadelphia's Game 3 win Thursday night. «It is. But as I said, this is another obstacle in the story that we're going to write this year, and you're going to be OK. It may take a minute, but this is just part of it.

»To me, I'm sure… he's human, and goodness, this happens again. Let's win, let's get him back on the floor and let's keep on our own journey."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported Friday evening that Embiid's right knee sprain would rule him out for Game 4, though there was optimism Embiid could return as soon as early next week.

When asked if he believed Embiid could return at some point in this series, assuming Brooklyn extends it to at least Game 5 with a win Saturday, Rivers said, «I don't know. I can't answer that, but I'm not sure.»

Embiid suffered the injury early in the third quarter, when he landed awkwardly after trying to contest a drive by Nets forward Cam Johnson. Embiid remained in the game and made a game-saving block on a drive by Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie in the closing seconds to preserve the win — one that put Brooklyn ahead 3-0 in this best-of-seven first-round series — before Rivers said swelling and pain behind the knee prompted Philadelphia to get him an MRI.

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