Joel Embiid is having the best season of his career thanks in large part to his improved durability. The 76ers center is averaging 33 minutes per game this season—second-most of his career—and has played in 31 of Philadelphia’s 38 games, with many of those absences either precautionary or due to the NBA‘s health and safety protocols. Sadly, though, on Friday, Embiid suffered what might have been his first serious injury of the season.
The play came in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s game against the Washington Wizards. Embiid went up for a dunk and landed awkwardly, seemingly hyperextending his left knee. He walked off of the floor under his own power, but with a meaningful limp. He has not returned to the game. Embiid is scheduled to have an MRI done on his knee, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Embiid is currently the betting favorite to win the MVP award, and his 76ers occupy the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Both of those things will be jeopardized if Embiid needs to miss significant time, though. The 76ers have a 2-5 record in games Embiid has missed this season, a trend that has existed throughout his career. There is no set amount of games any MVP candidate needs to play, but with LeBron James and Nikola Jokic barely missing any, Embiid will need to return quickly if he is to retain his favorite status.
But more importantly, Philadelphia’s championship hosts rely almost entirely on Embiid’s health. If he is seriously injured, their season is functionally over. This play appeared to be little more than a case of bad luck, but given his history of injuries, any minor tweak is dangerous for Embiid.
