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Joel Embiid is back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Philadelphia center went down hard during Tuesday night's clash with Boston, and the images were immediately alarming. For a player who has spent much of his career navigating the injury report, this one had the Philly faithful holding their breath all over again.
And speaking of that Celtics-Sixers matchup, the drama started well before tip-off. Jayson Tatum extended a hand to Jaylen Brown during pregame warmups, and Brown left him hanging — stone cold. These two spent years as Boston's cornerstone before the blockbuster trade that sent Brown to Philadelphia, and clearly those wounds haven't healed. The ice between them was visible from across the floor.
Shifting to Houston, where the Astros' front office is closing in on a managerial hire. General manager Randy Flores told reporters at the GM meetings in Las Vegas that he is hopeful a decision lands before the week is out. The search has involved more than four candidates, and Flores made clear filling that dugout seat is the organization's top priority heading into the offseason.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
