Joel Embiid has been sidelined with a left knee injury but the 76ers star's season is not over yet.
Embiid left Philadelphia's Jan. 30 contest against Golden State with four minutes left in the fourth quarter after suffering an injury to his left knee. It was the same knee that kept him out of the previous two games and why he was initially considered a game-time decision.
The reigning MVP was putting up award-caliber numbers yet again in 2023-24 while carrying a 76ers team that was 29-17 at the time of his injury.
How long will Embiid be sidelined? Here is the latest on his injury and what it means for him and the 76ers moving forward.
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What is Joel Embiid's injury?
The Athletic's Shams Charania and Joe Vardon reported that Embiid was diagnosed with a displaced flap of the meniscus in his left knee.
A displaced flap is considered to be a type of tear of the meniscus, according to orthopedic knee specialists via The Athletic.
During the fourth quarter of the 76ers' 119-107 loss to the Warriors, Embiid was being double-teamed in coverage by Golden State's Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. When Kuminga poked the ball out of Embiid's hands, the Philadelphia big man went to the ground to regain possession. While on the ground, Kuminga fell on top of Embiid's leg, causing the 2023 MVP to grab at the knee.
Embiid left the game and did not return.
Joel Embiid is headed to the locker room after Jonathan Kuminga fell on him
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2024
Hope he's ok 🙏 pic.twitter.com/iZysg8pULR
After the contest, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said that the injury was "kind of unrelated" to what had been bothering Embiid.
Nick Nurse provides an update on Joel Embiid's left knee injury vs. Golden State: pic.twitter.com/sVq4aKWGTy
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 31, 2024
It was evident that the Philadelphia center was playing through pain. Embiid looked hobbled going up and down the court, clearly not operating at 100 percent, even before the Kuminga incident.
"He said he's more rusty — he hadn't been on the court for five days — but he said he felt good," Nurse said after the game. "He felt like he wasn't quite playing like his normal self, but he felt like that was more rust and rhythm than it was anything else."
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How long is Joel Embiid out?
Even though it has been over a month since Embiid's knee procedure, the reigning MVP is "not anywhere close right now to coming back," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported on March 12.
"He is able to get on the court and do some light work here. The hope that they have in Philly is that they can just stay in the mix for Joel Embiid to come back the last week or so of the season. At least where he has a chance to get back some conditioning for the playoffs," Shelburn said on ESPN's "NBA Today."
On Feb. 26, Embiid spoke with the media for the first time since his surgery. The reigning MVP said that he still hopes to come back this season and that although he's feeling good, there's no timeline for his return.
Embiid: “I want to be on the floor as much as possible. I only have about 20 years to do this, so any chances that I get, I want to be on the floor. Doesn’t matter where we are — 4, 5, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 — just want to play as much as we can and try to help us.” pic.twitter.com/Jth6sFI3h5
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) February 29, 2024
The injury has now sidelined Embiid for 18 straight games. The 76ers are 7-11 during that stretch, dropping them to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 36-28 record.
Philadelphia ranks 20th in offensive efficiency and 26th in defensive efficiency since Embiid's injury.
Embiid suffered a torn right meniscus during the 2021 NBA Playoffs and missed one game before returning to action with five days of rest.
76ers upcoming schedule 2023-24
Here are the upcoming games on Philadelphia's schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| March 14 | at Bucks | 8 p.m. | — |
| March 16 | vs. Hornets | 7 p.m. | — |
| March 18 | vs. Heat | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| March 20 | at Suns | 10 p.m. | — |
| March 22 | at Lakers | 10:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
Joel Embiid 2023-24 season stats
- 35.3 points per game
- 11.3 rebounds per game
- 5.7 assists per game
- 1.8 blocks per game
- 1.1 steals per game
- 3.7 turnovers per game
- 53.3 percent field goal shooting
- 36.6 percent 3-point shooting
- 88.3 percent free throw shooting