76ers violate injury reporting rules, fined $50,000
PHILADELPHIA — The NBA announced Saturday night that the 76ers have been fined $50,000 for violating league injury reporting rules for their handling of Joel Embiid in the lead-up to the club’s 99-79 Game 3 victory over the Miami Heat Friday.
The NBA said the 76ers “failed to disclose center-forward Joel Embiid’s participation status in an accurate and timely manner.”
Embiid was listed as out for Friday’s game as late as noon Friday — even after being cleared from the NBA’s concussion protocol and participating in the 76ers’ morning shootaround.
Then, at 12:30 p.m., Embiid was upgraded to doubtful — which he remained until he was named as part of the starting lineup about a half-hour before the game tipped off.
Embiid, who had missed the first two games of the series with a facial fracture and concussion he suffered when he was hit in the face with a Pascal Siakam elbow in Game 6 of the team’s first-round series with the Toronto Raptors, finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes in Philadelphia’s win, which saw the Sixers climb back to within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Last week, the league hit the Phoenix Suns with a $25,000 fine after they listed Devin Booker as out before he played in Game 6 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Miami and Philadelphia will meet again in Game 4 on Sunday night. Embiid is listed as questionable to play with his facial fracture and the right thumb ligament injury he also suffered in the first round against Toronto.