Embiid Doubtful to Face Brooklyn, Irving Drove Celtics Forward and More

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid missed Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets and is now listed as doubtful for Game 4, Kyrie Irving led the Boston Celtics to another victory over the Indiana Pacers and the Lakers want to talk with Ty Lue and Monte Williams again.

Embiid (sore knee) listed as doubtful for Game 4 | ESPN

Joel Embiid sat out Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers managed to get a win without him thanks to great displays from Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, but Embiid is in jeopardy of missing another game due to his sore knee.

“The timing of [Thursday], I always have sort of my gut feels of what’s going to happen and judgment of how I really feel he’s feeling and so on,” coach Brown said. “It’s born out of talking with Joel, really, and you obviously listen to our medical staff. And so I wasn’t caught off guard [in Game 3] and as it relates to [Game 4], I don’t know and I really don’t have a gut feel.”

Joel Embiid is downgraded to doubtful for Game 4 with ongoing left knee tendinitis pic.twitter.com/WyJrzotFna

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) April 19, 2019

NBA roundup: Irving puts Celtics on verge of sweep | Reuters

Kyrie Irving took over late against the Indiana Pacers to lead his Boston Celtics to a win and a big 3-0 lead in the series. Irving scored 11 of Boston’s last 16 points and even though Indiana had an 88-87 lead with six minutes to go, the Celtics are now a step away from reaching Round 2.

#Celtics @KyrieIrving scores 19 PTS and hands out 10 AST, helping the @celtics go up 3-0 in the series! #NBAPlayoffs

Game 4: Sunday (4/21), 1pm/et, ABC pic.twitter.com/cKu5HWaMmy

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2019

Sources: Lakers want 2nd meetings with Lue, Williams | ESPN

According to sources close to ESPN, Los Angeles Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka and former Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coach Ty Lue spoke for about 90 minutes in their first meeting and Pelinka is ready to enter the more serious discussion with both Lue and Philadelphia 76ers’ assistant Monty Williams.

ESPN story with @mcten on next steps for Ty Lue and Monty Williams in Lakers coaching search — plus plans to meet with Juwan Howard on Tuesday. https://t.co/OUjEEjwvKx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 20, 2019

Jontay Porter declares for 2019 NBA Draft | 247Sports

Missouri Tigers’ forward Jontay Porter will enter the upcoming NBA draft after missing this season due to a torn ACL. Before that nasty knee injury, Porter was projected as a late first-round pick but now will likely drop to later rounds.

CBS Sports draft analyst Reid Forgrave shared his opinion on the prospect: “Porter’s torn ACL in October meant he didn’t play a minute for Missouri his sophomore year — which is a shame, because this is a player who could have shot up the board with a strong sophomore campaign,” Forgrave wrote in March. “He’s a very different player than his older brother, Michael Porter Jr. The younger brother has a bigger body and is a less explosive athlete, but Jontay is a strong, versatile and smart big man who can score in a variety of ways — including from 3, where he shot 36.7 percent as a freshman. Perhaps his biggest strength is his natural feel for the game.”

https://twitter.com/GabeDeArmond/status/1119380250570346496

NBA Rumors: Lonzo Ball Prefers Being A Laker Over Moving To Chicago or Phoenix | IBT

It is believed that the Los Angeles Lakers will try to offload several players this offseason including point guard Lonzo Ball but the 21-year-old prefers to stay with the team.

“There was a lot of stuff that just started coming out. Obviously, I wanted to be in LA, but at the end of the day, I just want to play. Wherever that may be, it wasn’t a big deal to me. My primary choice is to stay,” Ball said.

Lonzo Ball downplays Suns trade rumors: "My primary choice was to stay.” https://t.co/cdxzJGGRWB

— Bulls Wire (@Bulls_Wire) April 19, 2019