The Philadelphia 76ers will be without their superstar center Joel Embiid for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, the team announced Wednesday. This is a significant blow for the Sixers as they look to even the series after dropping the opener.

Embiid is sidelined with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness, according to the team. The 7-foot All-NBA center struggled in Monday's Game 1 loss, shooting just 3-of-11 from the field for 14 points and four rebounds—well below his postseason averages of 25.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

The injury news came as a surprise to many, as Embiid was initially listed as probable for the game. However, after missing Wednesday morning's shootaround, he was officially ruled out in the NBA's 1 p.m. injury report. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EDT at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks enter as 10.5-point favorites.

Without their franchise player, the Sixers will turn to veteran big man Andre Drummond and rookie Adem Bona to anchor the paint. Both players bring different skill sets, but replacing Embiid's two-way presence will be a tall task against a physical Knicks squad.

Looking ahead, the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, followed by Game 4 on Sunday. The Sixers will need a strong response to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole, especially with Embiid's status uncertain moving forward.