SAN FRANCISCO — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid will bear an MRI on his left knee after injuring it within the fourth quarter of Tuesday evening’s 119-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The harm occurred with 4:04 left within the recreation as Embiid was being double-teamed by the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Inexperienced. After Kuminga poked the ball away from him, Embiid fell to the bottom to retrieve it, and Kuminga subsequently fell on prime of his knee.
Embiid grabbed the knee and was in seen ache. He in the end obtained up and limped to the locker room and didn’t return to the sport.
Embiid had missed the Sixers’ earlier two video games due to knee soreness in that very same knee. He was listed as questionable heading into Tuesday’s contest, along with his remaining standing determined after he warmed up.
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“Medical cleared him, and Joel is an enormous half in that. He stated he was feeling good,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse stated.
Nurse defined that Tuesday’s harm is “type of unrelated to what’s been bothering” Embiid, including, “We simply have to attend.”
Though Embiid stated he felt effectively sufficient to compete in opposition to the Warriors, he did not look like taking part in at one hundred pc. All through the sport, there was little to no raise for Embiid when he defended the basket, making him far much less of a rim protector. Throughout one play, Embiid provided a late problem on the basket, however his legs buckled beneath him with no contact, and he fell to the ground.
On offense, Embiid did not assault the ring a lot, settling for 3-pointers and midrange pictures. When he did attempt to work his method to the basket, he did not look as explosive, as a substitute making an attempt to slowly and methodically again his defender down.
“He stated he is extra rusty — he hadn’t been on the court docket in 5 days — however he stated he felt good,” Nurse stated. “He felt like he wasn’t fairly taking part in like his regular self, however he felt like that was extra rust and rhythm than it was the rest.”
Embiid completed with 14 factors on 5-of-18 capturing to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and a team-low minus-21 internet score.
Embiid missed three video games earlier in January on account of left knee swelling. ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne reported that the harm is one thing Embiid and Philadelphia must handle for the rest of the season.
Embiid can miss solely 5 extra video games earlier than changing into ineligible for postseason awards, together with All-NBA workforce honors and MVP, due to the league’s new rule requiring a minimal of 65 video games to qualify.
After Tuesday’s loss, Nurse was requested if that rule influenced the choice to let Embiid play.
“I can not converse to that, however we’re going to proceed to do the entire issues which are vital, that they have been doing the entire time he is been taking part in right here,” Nurse stated. “He has these checks, he will get to those factors, medicals are good, they verify him once more, he says he is good, he even stated he felt good within the recreation tonight. We preserve relaying to that.”
The 76ers have someday off earlier than dealing with the Utah Jazz on Thursday in Salt Lake Metropolis.