Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has suffered a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in series-clincing Game 6 win over Toronto, the team confirmed Friday.
That’s a huge blow for the Sixers as their superstar is also dealing with a hand injury since almost the start of the playoffs. Doc Rivers will probably won’t have Embiid available to start the second-round best-of-seven series against the Miami Heat.
Embiid was injured late in the fourth quarter of Game 6 victory over the Raptors after he was accidentally hit in the face by Pascal Siakam. The 28-year-old All-Star center registered 33 points and 10 rebounds in this game.
The series vs Miami starts Monday and the Cameroonian superstar is not expected to be ready to play. The five-time NBA All-Star can be considered likely to remain out through next week’s action, which that he could also be out for Game 2.
That’s a huge blow for the 76ers considering Embiid has pushed them to the second round with key performance in the first-round matchup vs Toronto. James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris will have to increase their production in offense for the Sixers to remain competitive.
In the front line, the likes of Paul Reed, DeAndre Jordan and Paul Milsap will likely receive more minutes going forward, until Embiid gets healthy.
Comments