Joel Embiid left Wells Fargo Center through the 2nd half for additional analysis, with the 76ers later saying the sinus fracture.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid sustained a sinus fracture when he was struck within the face going for a defensive rebound late within the first half of the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday evening.
Embiid was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nostril. Embiid crumpled to the bottom as play continued up flooring and stayed down close to the Philadelphia bench, holding his face.
Embiid left Wells Fargo Center for analysis, with the 76ers later saying the sinus fracture. The staff mentioned he shall be additional evaluated this weekend.
Embiid had 12 factors, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 17 1/2 minutes in Philadelphia’s 121-107 loss to the Pacers.
Embiid was solely enjoying his sixth sport out of the 23 that Philadelphia has performed. He has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and in addition served a three-game suspension for a bodily incident with a reporter.
Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — billed as Philadelphia’s “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival — have performed components of solely three video games collectively. The Sixers are 7-16 on the season.
“You simply have to maneuver on and observe after we observe once more and have a subsequent man up mentality,” mentioned Maxey, who led Philadelphia with 22 factors. “What sucks about that is that we have been transferring in the fitting route. Guys have been determining roles, what coach needs from them and enjoying the fitting method. We know the way to play with Joel – and now, we might need to revert our minds again to enjoying with out him. That’s OK. It’s completely different. That’s how life is.”
Embiid additionally has had variety of face accidents, together with an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam through the 2022 playoffs and one in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last 12 months, Embiid had Bell’s Palsy throughout a first-round playoff loss to New York.
Embiid informed ESPN after Sunday’s victory in Chicago that his left knee points this season have been “miserable” due to the swelling not being associated to an damage. That was Philadelphia’s final sport earlier than Friday.
“He’s been in a very good place all week and he practiced all week,” coach Nick Nurse mentioned when requested about Embiid’s frame of mind. “We did plenty of stuff to rise up to hurry with him. But I can think about that he can really feel just like the black cloud is over him a little bit bit. He simply retains operating into one thing, actually, sadly.”
