Kendrick Perkins Reacts to 76ers' ‘Frustrating' Joel Embiid News for Game 2

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was ruled out for Wednesday night’s Game 2 matchup against the New York Knicks just hours before tipoff, citing ankle and hip injuries.

This news came just one day after Embiid was listed as probable on the 76ers’ injury report.

Embiid was unable to participate in the 76ers’ shootaround session on Wednesday morning as he experienced “increased soreness” for both injuries.

ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins reacted to this news during Wednesday’s episode of “NBA Today.”

“They need Joel Embiid. It’s not just unfortunate if you’re a 76ers fan, it’s frustrating. It’s very, very frustrating,” Perkins said. “This is so much of a disappointment. It really is. Different year, same story.”

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Embiid missed the first three games of the 76ers’ first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics after undergoing an appendectomy. He was excellent upon his return to the court, averaging 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists as Philadelphia completed the 3-1 comeback over its Eastern Conference rival.

Over the last three seasons, Embiid hasn’t appeared in more than 40 regular-season games once. He’s only appeared in more than 65 games twice in his NBA career, leading the league in scoring on both occasions.

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Embiid played just 25 minutes in the 76ers’ 137-98 Game 1 loss at Madison Square Garden, scoring 14 points on 3/11 shooting from the field.

Game 2 will tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 1:40 PM.