Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is facing another setback in his season as he is sidelined with a left knee injury. The team official confirmed that Embiid will miss Thursday’s game against the Utah Jazz and will undergo further tests on his knee in the next 24 hours, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Embiid recently returned to action after missing two games due to left knee soreness. However, his performance in the game against the Golden State Warriors was far from his usual dominant self. As Kyle Neubeck of AllPHLY.com reports, Embiid appeared to be laboring throughout the game and didn’t look like himself.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on Embiid’s left knee while scrambling for a loose ball. Embiid immediately grabbed his knee and was in visible pain. He had to exit the game and did not return. An MRI is scheduled for Wednesday to assess the extent of the injury.
Head coach Nick Nurse addressed the injury after the game, stating that it seemed unrelated to Embiid’s previous knee issues, although it affected the same knee. Nurse mentioned that the team’s medical staff had cleared Embiid to play, and the MVP candidate himself claimed to be feeling good before the game.
Embiid’s performance prior to the injury was subpar, scoring only 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting with eight turnovers in less than 30 minutes of play. The Sixers struggled when he was on the court, being outscored by 21 points. This loss adds to the team’s recent struggles as they have slipped to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Embiid has been dealing with left knee soreness throughout the season, and it is something that he and the team will have to manage going forward. A team source confirmed to Sam Amick of The Athletic that the big man has been battling knee soreness all season.
While there is no immediate concern that Embiid’s latest knee injury is significant, there is a strong sense that he will need to miss several more games. This is a significant blow for the Sixers, as Embiid has already missed 12 games this season. If he were to miss six more games, it would jeopardize his chances of repeating as the MVP.
Amick also suggests that there are people within the Sixers locker room who believe that Embiid only played in the game against the Warriors due to the scrutiny he faced for his recent absences, particularly the game in Denver on Saturday. The minimum game requirement of 65 games for end-of-season award winners may have played a role in his decision to return. However, the sentiments expressed in the locker room after the game were not positive towards this rule.
Paul Reed, a player for the Sixers, expressed his frustration with the 65-game rule, stating that he didn’t sign up for it and it adds a lot of pressure to the players. The rule has put additional pressure on players like Embiid who are aiming to win the MVP award again.
As Embiid undergoes tests and awaits further updates on his knee injury, the Sixers will have to navigate through a challenging period without their star center. The team will need to find ways to compensate for his absence and maintain their position in the Eastern Conference standings.
