The NBA didn’t do the Nets any favors on Friday, but Mother Nature did. 

Joel Embiid is expected to miss Game 4 on Saturday after an MRI showed a sprained right knee, ESPN reported on Friday. 

Embiid could return early next week, according to the report. 

The center, who has dominated the undersized Nets throughout the series, escaped a suspension when the league declined to upgrade the flagrant 1 foul he committed on Nic Claxton early in Game 3 to a flagrant 2. 

Embiid kicked Claxton after he fell to the ground when the two got tangled under the basket. 

The Nets did catch a break later in the game Thursday when James Harden was ejected on a questionable call after hitting Royce O’Neale.