robillionaire wrote:nykballa2k4 wrote:ag3 wrote:Embiid won’t make it through the series. In fact, he might not even play game 2. Let’s see.
IDK what the extent of his injury is, but they can't lose games 3 and 4, so sitting him game 2 is an interesting way to lay out a trap.
The Heat beat us in game 1 and then rested Butler in game 2 so they could knock us out in games 3 and 4. We won game 1 so it puts more pressure on them to play him in game 2 and get that split. If we lost game 1 they might have rested him
It's a bit different though. If Embiid is bad off for game 2, therefore compromised AND greater risk of re-injury then IMO best scenario is to bench him game 2, and use 3, 4 to even the series. If the risk of re-injury is unchanged whether he plays Monday or not, then you roll him out there until the wheels fall off.
The side-advantage to sitting him is that the bench players who typically don't show up on the road may take in that rally-cry and Knicks might not play with the same focus/intensity. It's almost better for us if Embiid plays because we match up well enough with him, he is compromised as is, and we have a set game plan. If Embiid playing is better for us, then logically, sitting him might be paradoxically better for them.