Joel Embiid Leads NBA Playoff Injury Reports Ahead of Sunday's Games
The NBA playoffs are here and several big names have shown up on injury reports ahead of Sunday's slate of games.
Getting off to a good start can be the difference between winning and losing a playoff series, and injuries can derail a postseason run before it even starts. The first round kicked off on Saturday and several big names were on the injury reports heading into the games. Sunday will be no different.
Sunday's action features four Game 1s and a few great matchups.
Notable stars dealing with injuries ahead of Game 1
Joel Embiid is the biggest name who will miss Sunday's action. The former MVP underwent surgery after being diagnosed with appendicitis on April 9 and has not yet been cleared for action. The 76ers' star only played in 38 regular-season games during the 2025–26 campaign as he dealt with shin and oblique injuries and an illness that sidelined him. He began the season recovering from April surgery on his left knee.
Embiid's teammate Tyrese Maxey is also on the injury report due to a sprained tendon in finger on his right hand, but he will be available to play.
Below you'll find complete injury reports for all four of Sunday's Game 1s.
Celtics-76ers injury report
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid, 76ers | Abdomen | Out |
| Tyrese Maxey, 76ers | Finger | Available |
Embiid is the headliner here. His presence will be missed as Philadelphia tries to upset the Celtics in this series. Maxey has been playing well despite his finger injury, so that should not be a factor moving forward.
For the Celtics there's no injuries to report. It's worth noting that Jayson Tatum is less than a year removed from tearing his right Achilles tendon, but he has been playing well since his return. He was on the court for a season-high 40 minutes against the Knicks in his last game. He sat out Boston's final two games.
Thunder-Suns injury report
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Williams, Suns | Foot | Questionable |
| Grayson Allen, Suns | Hamstring | Questionable |
| Thomas Sorber, Thunder | Knee | Out |
Key Suns contributors Mark Williams and Grayson Allen are questionable for Game 1. Williams played in the opening game of the play-in tournament and was limited to four points, four rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 22 minutes. Allen, meanwhile, didn't play in either of Phoenix's play-in games after starting 27 of the 51 games he played in this season while averaging 16.5 points per contest.
For the Thunder, Sorber has missed the whole season after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL in his right knee.
Pistons-Magic injury report
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Wendell Carter Jr., Magic | Nasal fracture | Available |
| Jonathan Isaac, Magic | Knee | Questionable |
Wendell Carter Jr. played well in Friday's play-in game for the eight seed. He finished with 16 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes despite dealing with a nasal fracture suffered against the Pistons on April 6. He has been wearing a protective mask since. He started all 78 games he played in this season, and will be available on Sunday. Isaac hasn't played since mid-March due to a knee sprain. He remains questionable.
Detroit enters the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and has a clean injury report.
Spurs-Trail Blazers injury report
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers | Achilles | Out |
| Jordan McLaughlin, Spurs | Ankle | Out |
Damian Lillard has missed the entire season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during the playoffs last year. Other than his expected absence, the Trail Blazers enter the playoffs with a full roster.
Spurs reserve guard Jordan McLaughlin is out thanks to an ankle injury, but it shouldn't impact the team much. He has only averaged 6.4 minutes in 44 games this season. Everyone else is available for San Antonio.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joel Embiid Leads NBA Playoff Injury Reports Ahead of Sunday's Games.
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 4:27 PM.