The Knicks' preparation for Game 2 has taken a major turn just hours before tip-off, as 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out Wednesday with both ankle and hip injuries. The big man was clearly laboring on Monday, which New York took full advantage of, but his sudden absence is still an unforeseen development. Though Embiid being out sounds great in theory, there are actual, real downsides for the Knicks when considering this series as a whole. Joel Embiid's Game 2 absence likely makes Knicks' lives harder in reality New York quickly identified a recipe for success in the series opener, which was finding Embiid when the Knicks had the ball and exploiting his lack of mobility. Sometimes an overwhelming defender given his size, Embiid was reduced to a mere traffic cone that Mike Brown's players could get around easily, put in pick-and-rolls, or beat off the ball to great success. Karl-Anthony Towns went 4-of-5 and added three assists in Game 1 when matched up against Embiid .…