Joel Embiid suffered a sinus fracture within the Philadelphia 76ers‘ 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night time, the most recent setback in a season stuffed with them for the All-Star huge man.
Embiid was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin for a defensive rebound within the closing seconds of the primary half when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the face. He crumpled to the ground as play continued up the courtroom and stayed down close to the Philadelphia bench, holding his face.
The staff dominated him out early within the second half due to “influence to the suitable aspect of the face” within the cheek and nostril space.
Coach Nick Nurse did not have an replace on Embiid’s standing after the sport, solely to say he nonetheless was present process testing. The staff later mentioned he suffered the sinus fracture and could be reevaluated this weekend.
Embiid had 12 factors, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in 17½ minutes within the loss for the 76ers, who subsequent play at Charlotte on Monday.
He has performed in solely six of Philadelphia’s 23 video games. Embiid has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and served a three-game suspension for a bodily incident with a reporter.
Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — billed as Philadelphia’s huge 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 follow once we follow once more and have a next-man-up mentality,” mentioned Maxey, who led Philadelphia with 22 factors. “What sucks about that is that we had been transferring in the suitable route. Guys had been determining roles, what coach desires from them and enjoying the suitable method. We know find out how to play with Joel, and now we could should revert our minds again to enjoying with out him. That’s OK. It’s completely different. That’s how life is.”
Embiid has had variety of facial accidents, together with an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Pascal Siakam in the course of the 2022 playoffs in opposition to the Toronto Raptors and one in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last yr, Embiid revealed throughout a first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks that he had Bell’s palsy.
Embiid told ESPN after Sunday’s win in Chicago that his left knee points this season had 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 extremely good place all week, and he practiced all week,” Nurse mentioned when requested about Embiid’s frame of mind. “We did a whole lot of stuff to stand up to hurry with him. But I can think about that he can really feel just like the black cloud is over him a bit bit. He simply retains operating into one thing, actually, sadly.”
Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.
