Saturday 20 April 2019 08:05, UK
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is listed as doubtful for Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
The 25-year-old missed Game 3 of his team's first-round playoff series against the Nets on Thursday night because of left knee soreness, and his status has since deteriorated from the first three games when he was listed as questionable.
He continues to deal with left knee tendinitis, a problem throughout the regular season, when he missed 14 of the Sixers' 24 games after the All-Star break.
He pulled out of Game 3 after warming up about 30 minutes before tip-off, and 76ers coach Brett Brown said he had a feeling he would sit out Thursday's game after totalling 45 minutes in Games 1 and 2.
"I always have sort of my gut feels of what's going to happen and how I really feel he's feeling and so on," he said.
"It's born out of talking with Jo, you obviously listen to our medical staff and so I wasn't caught off-guard [in Game 3].
"So, to me, it's always best to plan that you don't have him and be really surprised and happy when you do."
Embiid wore slippers while taking some three-point shots on Friday before going to work with a trainer and assistant coach Monty Williams on a side court.
He averaged 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds in 33.7 minutes in 64 regular-season games this season, marks which were the best of his career so far.
However, he has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. A broken bone in his right foot cost him the entirety of his first two NBA seasons. In the three seasons in which he has played, he has missed 88 of the 76ers' regular-season games.
Despite Embiid's absence in Game 3, the visiting 76ers rolled to a 131-115 victory over the Nets to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Greg Monroe started in his place, and collected nine points on 4-for-13 shooting and 13 rebounds.
Game 4 takes place on Saturday at 8pm (UK time) - watch live on Sky Sports Arena.
