Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers escaped disaster Saturday, but not failure.
The New York Knicks won Game 1 of their first-round series against the Sixers 111-104, with Jalen Brunson leading the way with 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
However, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby offered punchlines:
It was a game in which Philadelphia could have breathed a sigh of relief as Embiid ran through an injury scare in the second quarter. Trouble came on an incredible, off-the-backboard dunk, but Embiid reached down and grabbed his knee as he landed.
Embiid was on the floor, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling as trainers assessed his leg. Eventually he helped himself off the court and into the locker room.
Fortunately, Embiid returned early in the third quarter, though there was still some work to do with his team down 58-46. He posted 29 points on 8-of-22 shooting with eight rebounds and six assists. He drew the wrath of Madison Square Garden late in the game by clashing with Branson:
The left knee injury in particular was concerning for Embiid, who missed more than two months of the regular season after undergoing surgery on the same knee. Although he missed the Sixers' regular-season finale on Sunday, he returned on April 2.
