Joel Embiid is going to have surgery to fix a meniscus injury.
The current league MVP — will have surgery in the next few days to fix an injury to his left meniscus, the team said Sunday night. Sources told ESPN that “the door isn’t closed” upon him coming back this season.
Embiid is likely to be out for a long time, but sources say that a more exact timeline won’t be known until the surgery is over. Both of Embiid’s knees have been hurt during his career, but this one hurts him as well as the Sixers at a bad time.
The All-Star center scores 35.3 points per game, which is the most in the NBA. He was on track to become the second player, after Wilt Chamberlain, to average at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a season.
Besides Chamberlain from 1961–1962, he is also the sole athlete to average at least a point for every minute played. They are 26-8 this season when Embiid is on the court.
Embiid, 29, missed Game 5 of his 2021 playoff series against the Washington Wizards because of a small tear in the meniscus in his right knee. In 2016–17, he had surgery to end his season on his left meniscus and missed 37 games.
Embiid scored at least 30 points in 22 straight games before the Golden State Warriors beat them on Tuesday.
It was the fifth-longest streak in league history. In the final quarter, Warriors ahead Jonathan Kuminga hurt Embiid’s meniscus when he fell on his knee.
The 76ers have had a tough season without Embiid, losing 10 of the 14 games they’ve played without him. Philadelphia is 30–18 and was in fifth place in the Eastern League going into Sunday night’s games.
Joel Embiid, an All-Star center for the Philadelphia 76ers, will have surgery this week to fix an injury to the posterior meniscus in his right knee. “An update will be given after the procedure,” the team said on Sunday.
The 2022–23 MVP is likely to miss a lot of games, but there is no official date for his return. A person with knowledge about the situation told USA TODAY Sports that the Sixers and Embiid are hoping for a return this season.
He asked to remain anonymous because he wasn’t allowed to talk about Embiid’s condition in public.
They have a record of 30–18 and are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Embiid’s presence is very important in the Sixers’ success. They have a 26-8 record with Embiid on the team and a 4-10 record without him.
Embiid is scoring 35.3 points and dishing out 5.7 assists per game, which is the most in his career. He also grabs 11.3 rebounds, blocks 1.8 shots, and steals 1.1. He shoots 53.3% from the foul line, 36.6% on 3-pointers, and 88.3% on free throws.
In the NBA’s new rule, playing games is now linked to being eligible for awards and honors like MVP and All-NBA. Embiid was at the heart of this rule.
From now on, a player has to play in a minimum of 65 for 82 games to be eligible for awards and honors during the regular season.
Before Embiid got hurt, he faced the danger of missing 65 games during a season that could have made him MVP. Because of the surgery and missed games, he will not be in the running for MVP.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced on Sunday that star player Joel Embiid will have surgery this week to fix a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
The Sixers said they would give an update after the procedure, but it’s not clear how long the defending MVP will be out.
Embiid got an MRI after hurting himself last week in the fourth quarter toward the Golden State Warriors. The scan showed the injury.
Warriors toward Jonathan Kuminga tripped and hurt the 7-footer’s left leg. He left the game with four minutes left, having scored 14 points, and limped through the locker room.
It’s no longer possible for Embiid to win another straight MVP award. A player must play in at least 65 regular-period games to be qualified for the MVP award and several other awards.
This was agreed upon by the NBA and NBAPA before the 2023–24 season. His 15th game will be on Monday night when the Sixers play the Dallas Mavericks.
But Embiid was even better when he was healthy and on the court than during his MVP season last year. It’s the most points he’s ever scored in a game (35.5), and it’s also the most assists (5.7).