Joel Embiid has been branded the ‘unluckiest player in basketball’ by fans after suffering yet another injury in the Philadelphia 76ers’ latest loss.
Embiid, 2023’s NBA MVP, was struck in the face trying to get a defensive rebound late in the first half against the Indiana Pacers, and the team later revealed he had sustained a sinus fracture and would not return to the game.
Taking to social media, fans shared their frustrations at yet another injury blow for one of the league’s best players, with one writing: ‘Embiid’s body is breaking down. Another sad story to one of the most talented players the game has ever seen… can’t catch a break.’
Another added: ‘Embiid is the unluckiest player in basketball.’
The incident occurred when the Cameroonian center was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin, and caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of his nose. He immediately crumpled to the ground as play continued.
Shortly after, he left Wells Fargo Center for evaluation, and the team soon announced that he would undergo further testing this weekend.
Joel Embiid takes a forearm and elbow to the face late in the first half of the 76ers game
Embiid was left writhing in agony on the court and it was later revealed he fractured his sinus
Embiid was only playing his sixth game out of the 23 that Philadelphia has played so far this season. He has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and also served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter.
Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George – billed as Philadelphia’s ‘Big Three’ after George’s offseason arrival – have played parts of only three games together. The Sixers are 7-16 for the season.
Embiid also has had number of face injuries, including an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs and one in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz.
Embiid is tended to by medical staff before leaving the arena for further medical evaluation
Embiid can’t catch a break and has been labeled the ‘unluckiest player in basketball’
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Last year, Embiid had Bell’s Palsy during a first-round playoff loss to New York.
Embiid told ESPN after Sunday’s victory in Chicago that his left knee issues this season were ‘depressing’ because of the swelling not being related to an injury. That was Philadelphia’s last game before Friday.
‘He’s been in a really good place all week and he practiced all week,’ coach Nick Nurse said when asked about Embiid’s state of mind. ‘We did a lot of stuff to get up to speed with him. But I can imagine that he can feel like the black cloud is over him a little bit. He just keeps running into something, really, unfortunately.’
In the game before his early exit, Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes, but Philadelphia went on to lose 121-107 to the Pacers.