Sixers could learn more about Joel Embiid’s knee sprain, availability on Thursday

Joel Embiid’s availability is the No. 1 question surrounding the 76ers. So it should come as no surprise that there is interest around what the presumptive MVP does during practice and when will he play.

“He shot a little bit on the side, but not much movement,” Doc Rivers said following Wednesday’s practice. “No practice really.”

Embiid is sidelined with a right lateral collateral ligament sprain as the Sixers prepare for the Eastern Conference semifinals, which start on Monday. They’ll face the first-round winner of the Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks series.

So what are the doctors telling Rivers about Embiid’s injury? “They don’t talk to me,” the coach said with a laugh.

» READ MORE: What’s Joel Embiid timeline to return? What steps should he take? A local surgeon weighs in.

Turning to a more serious note, Rivers revealed he’ll likely know more about the center’s availability Thursday.

“I think in a day or the next day he’ll have a bigger meeting with the doctors and we’ll go from there,” Rivers said. “So I literally don’t have any information. I’m not joking about it. I really don’t have any new information.

“And trust me, I wish I did.”

An MRI on Friday revealed that Embiid sprained his LCL when he tangled legs with Cam Johnson and fell to the court. As a result, he was sidelined for Saturday’s series-clinching Game 4.

One would think the conference semifinals would be personal for Rivers given the potential opponents.

Rivers coached Boston to the 2008 NBA title and made history while he was in town. He was on the sidelines for the second-most games (721) in franchise history and produced the third-most wins (416).

Meanwhile, the Hawks drafted Rivers with the 31st pick in 1983. The former point guard played the first eight seasons of his 13-year career in Atlanta, and is still the franchise assist leader at 3,866.

But …

“I think it would be personal if we played a team from Mars,” Rivers said, “and I’m not kidding because we’re trying to win a title. And I get what you’re saying.”

Rivers still has great friendships in both organizations and cities. But he views any visit to Atlanta or Boston as a business trip.

» READ MORE: The Sixers have no shot without Joel Embiid. The real question is, how much of him do they need?

Born on May 5, 1985, P.J. Tucker, 37, is the fourth-oldest active player in the NBA behind Udonis Haslem, Andre Iguodala, and LeBron James.

In addition to garnering respect as one of the league’s elders, Tucker’s also respected as a champion. He won an NBA title two seasons ago with the Milwaukee Bucks. Those factors give Tucker a huge voice in the Sixers’ locker room, one he’s not afraid to use.

“Today he got angry in practice because it was sloppy and he went off when nobody else did,” Rivers said. “Those are the things that people don’t [see.] He just does so many things that are visible only to his team. And that’s why you brought him here.”

Tucker becomes frustrated when his teammates lack focus. He wants the Sixers to work on building great habits instead of being careless with the ball and becoming content as they wait for Monday’s game.

“P.J. is really intelligent when it comes to knowing little things matter where other teams kind of look past them,” Georges Niang said. “They think their talent will get them through where P.J. [knows], more or less, we need to devour the details and win the little details for when it does come time.”

The Sixers last played on Saturday. While the rest is good for Embiid’s knee, his teammates will have had eight days between games when the Eastern Conference semifinals begin.

That extended break stems from the Hawks’ 119-117 Game 5 victory at TD Garden. Boston clings to a 3-2 series advantage. Had Boston won on Thursday, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals would have been Saturday in Boston.

“Obviously, [Atlanta] extending this series has not hurt us,” Rivers said. “It does seem like we’re being iced out of the playoffs right now. This is a long time off. I will say that. But for Joel, it’s obviously a good thing.”

Was Rivers happy when Trae Young hit the game-winning three-pointer with 2.8 seconds left?

» READ MORE: P.J. Tucker’s top-down, fingers-lost, Ukraine-stop, wild ride to the Sixers

“I don’t know, honestly,” Rivers said. “That’s a good question. ... You’re ready to go. But the rest, at some point, will kick in and help. It just takes you out of the playoffs in some ways, out of the intensity and the flow. We will take it, I think, at the end of the day.

“This is the longest I ever had [in between playoff games]. So just trying to keep our guys as sharp as possible and all that is not easy.”

The Sixers scrimmaged Wednesday as they continue to try to remain sharp.

“We are just ready to see and prepare for who we are going to play next,” Tyrese Maxey said. “I’m not really rooting for anybody. I’m just kind of [sitting] back and waiting. I guess them winning gives Joel some extra days of rest. So that’s cool.”

Rivers said he’s not rooting for one particular opponent to face.

“I’m being honest,” he said. “I don’t care. I just want to play. If we want to do what we want to do, it’s going to be hard, and just whatever. I really believe that. I told our guys that. I could[n’t] care less. Let’s just bring them on.”

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