FILE – Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers plays during Gear 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Joel Embiid’s planned absences for the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener and their next two games have the attention of the NBA, which will likely begin an investigation this week, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Embiid, a former team MVP with a history of injuries, missed the preseason due to what the team described last week as managing a dislocated left knee “in a personal treatment plan designed to best support his vigor and well-being for the 2024-25 season.” .”
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The seasoned center has been ruled out for Wednesday against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks, as well as for Friday’s game in Toronto and Sunday’s game in Indiana.
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It’s unusual for the NBA to review the situation when a superstar athlete misses a nationally televised game, in accordance with the group’s player share policy, ESPN reported.
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Embiid, 30, is heading into his ninth season after averaging 34.7 points and 11.0 rebounds in just 39 games last season while undergoing surgery on his left knee for a meniscus dislocation. The seven-time All-Star returned to energy and limped into the playoffs. He then played for the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Paris Olympics this summer.
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He recently said he may never play back-to-back NBA games again to avoid wear and tear on his body.
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“If I had to guess, I probably would never play back-to-back games for the rest of my career,” Embiid told ESPN.
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Embiid also said he lost between 25 and 30 pounds during the offseason to help relieve pressure on his knee. You will continue to wear a knee brace on your left knee.
“It’s the right thing to do and the right thing to do that will support me for the rest of my career,” Embiid told ESPN. “For me it is a psychological question. I hated it. (But) I started telling myself, ‘Okay, I have to do it, that’s the only way they’re going to let me play.'”
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Embiid, who did not play for two seasons due to a dislocated foot after being drafted in the first round in 2014 by Philadelphia, has averaged 27.9 points with 11.2 rebounds in 433 games for the Sixers. He was MVP of the 2022-23 season.
Monitor Nick Nurse was asked Tuesday about Embiid’s unavailability for Wednesday.
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“He’s practicing, he looks good, he’s making progress,” Nurse said. “He’s not completely smart yet. He will be sharp very soon.” –Media at field level
