PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The first piece of the 76ers’ offseason is set: Doc Rivers will return to coach next season, early exits and all. Another question mark seems somewhat settled, James Harden wants to stay in Philly and the Sixers want him back.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jimmy Butler knocked Joel Embiid out of the playoffs, then walked over to his former 76ers teammate and hugged him, told him he loved him and was proud of him.
Butler then headed out of a familiar court a winner — and straight into another conference finals with Miami.
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic plays for Denver. And for Serbia.
Both places can once again make the same claim: For the second consecutive season, they’re home to the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
LONDON (AP) — Maybe it’s the ćevapi, or the souvlaki, or the mbanga soup.
Whatever it is, there’s no denying the tinge of international flavor when it comes to the NBA elite with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic winning the league’s MVP award for a second straight season Wednesday.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid took a shot to the face that not even his mask could help him absorb. He went down in a heap and stayed on the court in pain until he could compose himself.
Game 5 would get worse in so many ways for Embiid and the 76ers.
MIAMI (AP) — Shots fell again for the Miami Heat. They kept Joel Embiid and James Harden in check. Their coach got an in-game massage from DJ Khaled.
Yes, really.
It was that sort of night for the Heat, who — even without everyone getting shoulder rubs — are feeling pretty good about their playoff prospects again.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Harden took a sensational step forward in the postseason for the 76ers with step-back 3s that rekindled his dominant form. Joel Embiid is playing better by the game, and the MVP finalist might have his best basketball ahead.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers were fined $50,000 by the NBA on Saturday for violating league injury reporting rules in failing to disclose Joel Embiid’s participation status in an accurate and timely manner.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid's final line in the box score looked a bit pedestrian compared to his usual MVP numbers. But the Philadelphia 76ers center played Game 3 anyway. With a thumb that needs a surgery.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid inspired Philadelphia with his return from a facial injury, Danny Green and Tyrese Maxey each scored 21 points and the 76ers beat the Miami Heat 99-79 on Friday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid spent the week groggy from a concussion. His busted thumb needs surgery.
MVP form? Not yet. But Embiid wore his black mask and injected the 76ers — and a skittish fanbase - with revitalized championship aspirations.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the playoff series Friday against Miami after sitting out the first two games with a right orbital fracture and a mild concussion.
Philadelphia and Dallas head home trying to stay in conference semifinal series against the top seeds — the 76ers forced again to play without Joel Embiid against Miami, and the Mavericks waiting for someone to help Luka Doncic against Phoenix.
MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo caught a lob for an alley-oop dunk midway through the fourth quarter, then threw a lob to Jimmy Butler for another dunk about a minute later.
Both were very easy.
Joel Embiid could complicate those plays going forward — and the Miami Heat are heading north expecting that he might be waiting for them.
MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro had spent the last few days dealing with an upper-respiratory bug that disrupted his routine. So he arrived at Miami's arena early Monday morning, 10 hours before gametime, to get some shots up and restore his rhythm.
MIAMI (AP) — In Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s mind, the injury situation with Joel Embiid doesn’t doom the Philadelphia 76ers.
Preview capsule for the Miami-Philadelphia Eastern Conference semifinal series that starts Sunday:
No. 1 MIAMI HEAT (53-29, 4-1) vs. No. 4 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (51-31, 4-2)
MIAMI (AP) — The best that Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers could offer Saturday about Joel Embiid’s possible availability for the Eastern Conference semifinal series against Miami was a two-word answer.
MIAMI (AP) — Joel Embiid feared this would be the case. Turns out, he was right.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced Friday night that Embiid — the NBA scoring champion and an MVP finalist — has a right orbital fracture and a mild concussion.
A few hours before Game 6 of his team’s first-round series in Toronto got started on Thursday night, Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers was busy watching film.
TORONTO (AP) — James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are headed for the second round, not home for Game 7.
Joel Embiid had 33 points and 10 rebounds, Harden added 22 points and 15 assists and the 76ers beat the Toronto Raptors 132-97 in Game 6 to end their first-round series Thursday night.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pascal Siakam gave a pregame pep talk to keep the Raptors calm in a hostile Philly environment where they already lost twice and fell into a playoff hole.
NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia center Joel Embiid has been fined $15,000 for criticizing the officiating in Game 4 of the 76ers' first-round playoff series against Toronto, the NBA announced Monday.
Embiid made his remarks to reporters after a 110-102 loss on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are struggling against Boston, and Ben Simmons won't be available to help them Monday night with the Brooklyn Nets' season on the brink.
TORONTO (AP) — It was a thumbs down day for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, who couldn’t complete a first-round sweep of the Toronto Raptors.
Pascal Siakam scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, Gary Trent Jr.
TORONTO (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will start Game 4 of his team’s first round playoff series Saturday despite a right thumb injury that forced him to practice with a brace Friday.
TORONTO (AP) — After pushing the Toronto Raptors to the brink of elimination, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid pledged to finish the job as quickly as possible.
Embiid made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the 76ers a 104-101 victory on Wednesday night and a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.
TORONTO (AP) — Joel Embiid made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 104-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid took a stiff arm moments after tipoff and the 7-footer pushed back. Trying to keep his composure, Embiid absorbed a few more deliberate blows from a Raptors defense clearly trying to bully the big guy.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rookie Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was ruled out for Monday night's Game 2 of Toronto's playoff series against Philadelphia because of an ankle injury, coach Nick Nurse said.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey had Sixers fans roaring "Maxey! Maxey! Maxey!” after each electrifying play -- and he crammed a season’s worth into the breakout game of his young career. He wowed on whirlwind layups, connected on 3-pointers from Curry-range and did whatever he desired at all times as he dismantled the Raptors.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Harden says he’s “ready to hoop.”
The Philadelphia 76ers sure hope The Beard is good to go — not just for the opening-round Eastern Conference series against Toronto — but for a deep run into June.
The votes are in. Over the coming days and weeks, the NBA will announce the various award-winners for this regular season. And while nobody knows with absolute certainty where any of the trophies are going yet, this much is known: The MVP is going to be an international player.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid was good-naturedly swatted with towels by his 76ers' teammates as “MVP! MVP!” chants filled the arena.
Allen Iverson cheered from his courtside seat for Embiid, too.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid and James Harden are off to Toronto for the playoffs. Defensive specialist Matisse Thybulle is staying behind for the road games; he's not fully vaccinated and barred from entering Canada.
Joel Embiid is about to make a lot of history. And a half-dozen first-round or play-in game matchups are set to be decided.
The final day of the NBA season has no shortage of storylines.
A new scoring champion will be crowned and, barring something crazy, Embiid — who hails from Cameroon — will become the first international player to win that title.