The Philadelphia 76ers are heading into their second-round playoff matchup against the New York Knicks with a familiar storyline: Joel Embiid is banged up but battling. After a gritty seven-game series win over the Boston Celtics—the franchise's first playoff series victory over Boston since 1982—the Sixers' star center now carries a new injury designation into Game 1.

According to the official injury report, Embiid is listed as "probable" due to a right hip contusion sustained during the Game 7 clincher against the Celtics. He also appeared to take a hard hit to the knee in that game, adding to the concern. While "probable" typically means he's expected to play barring any last-minute setbacks, it's another reminder of the physical toll this postseason has taken on the big man.

This is just the latest hurdle in what has been a grueling playoff run for Embiid. He's only a little over three weeks removed from an emergency appendectomy that forced him to miss the first three games of the postseason. Before that, he was dealing with an oblique strain. Despite all that, Embiid has continued to will the Sixers forward, and his availability will be critical if Philadelphia hopes to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001.

For fans and fantasy owners alike, keep an eye on tipoff Monday night for Embiid's final status. In the high-stakes world of playoff basketball, every bump and bruise matters—and for the Sixers, their championship hopes rest on Embiid's ability to keep doing what he does best: playing through the pain.