76ers’ Joel Embiid out Thursday, to have knee evaluated

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is out for Thursday’s recreation in opposition to the Utah Jazz and can obtain additional analysis on his left knee within the subsequent 24 hours, a staff official instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Embiid is predicted to journey again to Philadelphia and never be a part of staff in Utah, the official instructed Wojnarowski.

Embiid injured his left knee within the fourth quarter of Tuesday evening’s 119-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The harm occurred with 4:04 left within the recreation as Embiid was being double-teamed by the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Inexperienced. After Kuminga poked the ball away from him, Embiid fell to the bottom to retrieve it, and Kuminga subsequently fell on high of his knee.

Embiid grabbed the knee and was in seen ache. He finally bought up and limped to the locker room and didn’t return to the sport.

Embiid had missed the Sixers’ earlier two video games due to knee soreness in that very same knee.

He completed with 14 factors on 5-of-18 capturing to go along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a team-low minus-21 web ranking.

Embiid additionally missed three video games earlier in January resulting from left knee swelling. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that the harm is one thing Embiid and Philadelphia must handle for the rest of the season.

Embiid, the NBA’s reigning MVP, can miss solely 5 extra video games earlier than turning into ineligible for postseason awards, together with All-NBA staff honors and MVP, due to the league’s new rule requiring a minimal of 65 video games to qualify.

When wholesome, Embiid has continued to carry out at an MVP stage. He’s the NBA’s main scorer at 35.3 factors per recreation and is averaging 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He scored a franchise-record 70 factors to go together with 18 rebounds on Jan. 22 in a 133-124 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

The 76ers are 0-4 on their five-game journey.

ESPN’s Kendra Andrews and The Related Press contributed to this report.