76ers nearly run out of centers in Game 2 — and issue looms large with Joel Embiid’s injury status

The 76ers nearly ran out of centers to deploy in Wednesday’s 108-102 Game 2 loss against the Knicks.

And the issue looms large with Joel Embiid’s day-to-day injury status as the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 & 4.

Andre Drummond, who started in place of Embiid, endured foul trouble all night. He entered the fourth quarter with four fouls while dealing with Karl-Anthony Towns.

The conundrum exacerbated when Sixers reserve center Adem Bona picked up his fifth foul with four minutes remaining in the third period.

The foul trouble put 76ers head coach Nick Nurse’s back against the wall — having the 6-8 Paul George defend 7-foot Towns, who finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. He shot 6-for-8 from the field, including one made trey.

Nurse even had to lean on 6-8 forward Dominick Barlow, who had averaged just under nine minutes per game off the bench this postseason. Barlow totaled 16 minutes in Game 2.

The issue raises the question: if Embiid is unable to go in more games this series, how will Nurse work to defend the Knicks star big man who is finally hitting his stride as a focal point of New York’s offense?

Drummond fell victim to Towns’ point-of-attack drives that caused Philly’s defense to break down.

And Bona, a second-year reserve, got caught too many times reaching in the cookie jar while defending Towns. After picking up his fifth foul, Nurse mostly featured Barlow, George and Kelly Oubre Jr. to close out the game.

Complicating the issue is Embiid, who isn’t getting any healthier.

The big played Game 1 after being listed as probable with a right hip contusion.

On Wednesday, the team ruled him out during shootaround after he woke up with a “bunch of soreness” in his ankle.

“No, I mean, listen, he’s really disappointed,” Nurse said pregame of Embiid missing Game 2. “He really wants to be out there. He has been doing — I mean I said this before — but coming back from that appendectomy so quickly was not easy for him to do. He’s worked extremely hard to get back and he continues to want to play badly and I feel really bad for him. He really wants to be out there and we want him out there.”

Even if Embiid returns, there’s no guarantee he’ll be equipped to follow around Towns for four quarters.

And not having an extra body to deal with Towns makes Philadelphia’s challenge way harder as they’re in danger of going down 3-0 to the Knicks.