76ers’ Embiid to miss remainder of regular season due to knee

The Philadelphia 76ers stated Friday that star Joel Embiid will miss the rest of the common season as he and the group proceed to search for a long-term resolution for a difficult left knee that has plagued his season.

Embiid had elevated swelling within the knee following a loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night time and underwent a brand new spherical of imaging Monday to find out why his knee has not responded properly to the remedy protocols he has acquired this season. The 76ers and Embiid consulted with dozens of medical doctors and specialists to find out the perfect path ahead for the 7-footer.

All season, Embiid has tried to play by way of ache in his knee, hoping it might enhance as he acquired into higher situation. He acquired quite a few injections, sources stated, hoping to scale back the swelling and discomfort sufficient to allow him to play and be accessible for the 76ers.

As an alternative of enhancing, the ache and swelling have elevated. In current weeks, that has proven in Embiid’s and the group’s efficiency. Nonetheless, there have been additionally stretches when teammates and coaches would see Embiid carry out properly in practices then sit out of upcoming video games, sources stated. His day by day standing appeared fluid all season, and it led to frustration amongst all events.

Embiid performed simply 39 video games final season after tearing the meniscus in his knee. He had surgical procedure in early February, got here again in early April, was a part of the 76ers’ playoff run and gained a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic group over the summer season. He acknowledged earlier this month that he did not have sufficient time to get better after surgical procedure.

The 76ers, who opened with championship hopes, have misplaced 9 straight video games and 11 of their previous 12 contests, falling to 20-38 amid an injury-marred, disastrous season. Even when Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey all play, Philadelphia is simply 7-8.

The 76ers’ current skid has been vital for the franchise in a probably great way; Philadelphia has damaged a tie with Brooklyn and has sole possession of the sixth-worst report within the NBA. The 76ers’ first-round choose on this 12 months’s draft is top-six protected; in any other case it goes to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

Later Friday, the 76ers agreed to a two-way NBA contract with former Los Angeles Lakers first-round choose Jalen Hood-Schifino, in line with sources.

All through this star-crossed season, Embiid was by no means in a position to keep on the courtroom for any sustained time frame. Embiid performed in solely 19 video games, which means he has missed 39.

In Saturday’s loss, Embiid was sluggish to rise up late within the third quarter when he misplaced the ball and hit the courtroom. He was benched within the fourth after he scored simply 14 factors in 31 minutes and missed all six of his 3-point makes an attempt. In his closing two video games this season, the pressure of the damage was noticeable as Embiid scored 15 or fewer factors in consecutive contests for the primary time since Could 2021.

Embiid — the 2022-23 NBA MVP — was chosen as an All-Star in every of his previous seven seasons previous to this one. This season, the 30-year-old has had one among his worst outputs: his lowest scoring common since 2017-18 (23.8 factors); his lowest rebounds per sport (8.2) since his 2016-17 rookie 12 months; and profession lows in blocks per sport (0.9), subject objective capturing (44.4%), 3-point capturing (29.9%), efficient subject objective share (48.1%) and win shares (1.5).

The 76ers’ 2024-25 common season began with a league investigation into the participant participation coverage, which ultimately resulted in a $100,000 fantastic for the group’s public feedback from president Daryl Morey and coach Nick Nurse that didn’t correctly replicate Embiid’s well being points along with his knee. The NBA additionally issued a three-game suspension to Embiid in early November for shoving a columnist within the locker room after a sport in Philadelphia.

The scenario round Embiid made it troublesome for the Sixers to kind any form of identification, with George lacking durations of time as properly with groin, knee and finger accidents. George has wanted remedy to navigate his accidents, with sources saying he acquired pain-killing injections for 4 to 5 consecutive video games previous to the All-Star break.