Kyle Lowry back for Heat; status of 76ers’ Joel Embiid’s status still unclear

The Miami Heat again were whole Friday night, with point guard Kyle Lowry back in the mix after missing the previous four games with a hamstring strain.

The Philadelphia 76ers, though, slow played their determination about their glaring hole.

Shortly before Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Lowry would be back for Friday night’s playoff game against the 76ers, Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers remained non-committal about the status of star center Joel Embiid.

The Heat went into the day up 2-0 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

In addition to Lowry returning to the mix after missing the final two games of the first round and then the first two games of this series, five other Heat players who, like Lowry had been listed as questionable earlier in the day, also were available. That had Gabe Vincent (knee), P.J. Tucker (calf), Caleb Martin (ankle), Tyler Herro (ankle) and Max Strus (hamstring) also in the mix for the game at Wells Fargo Center.

Spoelstra said the return of Lowry added needed nuance.

“Stylistically it will change things in the margins,” he said. “But obviously he’s a highly decorated, experienced, playoff-battle-tested guy. He’s the guy that all season long that we turned to get us organized, particularly in the moments of truth. You need as many guys that you can available during the playoffs, that goes without saying.”

Rivers said Lowry being back did not necessarily change his team’s approach.

“For them, it just adds another guy. But not much for us,” Rivers said. “I don’t think that changes the way we guard anyone any different. It just gives them a veteran All-Star.”

Earlier in the day, a hurdle for Embiid was cleared, when he was cleared from NBA concussion protocols, a necessary step toward a return. Embiid also is dealing with a facial fracture.

The concussion and orbital fracture occurred a week ago, in the road victory over the Toronto Raptors that advanced the 76ers to this series.

In addition to the blow he absorbed from Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Embiid also sustained a ligament tear in his right thumb earlier in that series, forced to then play in a splint. Surgery will be required in the offseason.

The 76ers initially listed Embiid on Friday morning as out for Friday’s game, even after the required NBA concussion protocols were satisfied, but then changed his status at midday to doubtful.

Embiid stood as the lone player on the 76ers’ Friday injury report.

Lowry had missed the previous four games with the strain suffered in the Heat’s April 22 road loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the previous round, with Vincent starting in his place.

Rivers said changing a player’s status so quickly presented its own challenges with Embiid.

“That makes it very difficult for them when they come back,” he said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to play great. Or sometimes, they do. You just don’t know.”

The 76ers struggled in the middle in the absence of Embiid, opening the previous two games of the series with veteran DeAndre Jordan at center and then cycling to foul-prone neophyte Paul Reed.

“Listen, they’re doing their best,” Rivers said. “You can’t blame DJ. You can’t blame Paul. They’re doing their best. As a coach, that’s all you can ask from those guys. They are fighting their butts off, and that’s what you want. That’s what I would want if I was a fan.”

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