Doc Rivers Praises Embiid's Defensive Impact After Game 3 vs. Heat

As the Philadelphia 76ers prepared for their Game 3 matchup of the second-round series against the Miami Heat, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers wasn't quite sure if his team was getting its star big man Joel Embiid back in the mix.

"We don't know yet," said Rivers, regarding Embiid's playing status a little under two hours before tip-off. "He's still doubtful. He's going to warm up and go from there."

On Thursday night, the Sixers had no choice but to list Embiid as out since he still wasn't cleared from the NBA's concussion protocol.

But on Friday morning, the big man finally cleared that hurdle and joined his teammates for a shootaround session.

“We didn’t do enough, honestly," Rivers explained when discussing how Embiid looked on Friday morning. "We watched film and really walked over stuff. I know over the last couple of days, he’s been able to do some running and stuff. Really, he hasn’t been able to do a lot.”

Despite being off the court for nearly a week, Embiid didn't have much time to waste after getting cleared. With his team trailing by two games, the Sixers' big man was on a mission to make it back out on the floor. After going through pregame warmups, Embiid told the 76ers he was ready to go.

From start to finish, Embiid's impact was evident. While he didn't have a signature 30-point performance on the offensive end, Embiid's presence alone gave the 76ers a lift. And in Doc Rivers' eyes, it was on the defensive end where the big man really boosted his team in the Friday night victory over Miami.

"A lot [changed]," said Rivers after Game 3. "I mean, just his presence, obviously, to start the game. His energy, his rebounding. His ability at the basket. I’ve said it all year. You could see his timing was off a little bit. But his presence defensively, I really don’t – I don’t think he gets enough credit for how good of a defensive player he is and how much he helps us. And I thought tonight it was a lot of that.”

After missing the last two games, Embiid checked in for 36 minutes on Friday. He drained five of his 12 attempts from the field and knocked down eight of his ten free throws, totaling for 18 points. He collected ten of his 11 total rebounds on the defensive end and picked up a steal and a blocked shot.

Embiid's supporting cast can definitely take tons of credit for the win, as everybody who played had a significant impact on the game. However, it's clear that when the MVP finalist takes the floor, it's a different ballgame for the 76ers. Now, they'll look to try and tie the series up on Sunday after snagging a 99-79 win in Game 3.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.