Joel Embiid is ready to overlook yet one more recreation. The Philadelphia 76ers star has been dominated out for his group’s matchup on Thursday towards the Utah Jazz after struggling a knee damage towards the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. He’ll obtain additional analysis in Philadelphia over the subsequent 24 hours relatively than touring with the group, in line with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The reigning league MVP is amid the very best season of his profession however has continued to take care of well being points. He is missed 12 out of Philadelphia’s 46 video games up to now this season, together with a marquee matchup towards the Denver Nuggets on Saturday as a result of a left knee damage.
The 76ers held him out of their Monday recreation towards the Portland Path Blazers, however in the end felt he was able to go on Tuesday after they battled the Golden State Warriors. It was a shaky night time on the courtroom for Embiid as he shot simply 5 of 18 from the ground, after which issues went from dangerous to worse within the fourth quarter when he acquired tousled with Warriors ahead Jonathan Kuminga and suffered one other obvious damage as Kuminga fell on his leg. He left the sport from there and didn’t return.
Here is a have a look at the play the place Embiid acquired harm:
Embiid will endure an MRI on Wednesday to disclose the severity of the damage. 76ers Coach Nick Nurse revealed after the sport that the damage was unrelated to the one which stored him out just lately. Now, the group awaits information and hopes that their famous person massive man hasn’t suffered a extreme damage.
Whereas particular person awards are a lesser concern for the 76ers, it’s also price noting right here that principally any significant absence will knock Embiid out of the working to win his second consecutive MVP award. The league instituted a brand new rule this season stating that main award winners should play a minimum of 65 video games. Having already missed 12, Embiid might solely miss 5 extra earlier than being eradicated from the MVP race and now he can be sidelined as soon as once more. Philadelphia has six video games within the subsequent 11 days, so even a two-week absence knocks Embiid out of the race.
Tuesday additionally marked the primary time since Nov. 15 towards Boston that Embiid did not rating a minimum of 30 factors in a recreation. It ended a streak of twenty-two consecutive 30-point video games for Embiid, and solely Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden have longer streaks in NBA historical past.
Philadelphia has even much less time to find out its technique main up the commerce deadline. That’s solely eight days away on Thursday, Feb. 8. The 76ers have been weighing the dangers and advantages of an all-in push for this championship figuring out that such an method might price them their max cap area this offseason. Any severe Embiid damage would change that calculus.
Well being has been an issue for Embiid all through his NBA profession. He has by no means performed 70 video games in a season. He’d must play Philadelphia’s final 36 video games to take action this season, and that clearly now is not occurring. The objective for now could be to make sure that Embiid is wholesome within the playoffs, and the outcomes of this MRI will give the group its first indication of whether or not or not he can be.
