Joel Embiid dropped 50 points in the 76ers’ Game 3 win over the Knicks, after which Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Embiid is suffering from a mild case of Bell’s Palsy. The center opened up on his condition after the game.
“I don’t know what exactly happened… It started a day or two before the Miami game, I had bad migraines and thought it was nothing. Usually, I don’t like to check it out but for some reason, I ended up having to tell somebody. For the Miami game, my body was just not feeling it.”
Embiid delved into the specific causes of bother with the condition while maintaining the importance of pushing through.
“It’s pretty annoying with the left side of my face, my mouth, and my eye. It’s been tough but I’m not a quitter. I’ve got to keep fighting, do anything. It’s unfortunate, that’s the way I look at it. That’s not an excuse. I got to keep pushing.”
Joel Embiid on dealing with Bell's Palsy:
"It's been tough but I'm not a quitter… It's unfortunate… got to keep pushing" pic.twitter.com/O1MZDlt5tH
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 26, 2024
Embiid rushed back from a meniscus injury to help the 76ers make a playoff push and is battling to keep them alive in their series against the Knicks. He’s averaging 37.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists through three games so far.
Even with a 50-point game, a lot of the chatter around Embiid will be decidedly negative for his actions against Mitchell Robinson, as a dirty foul has led to Robinson suffering an ankle injury.
Joel Embiid Might Be Punished For His Foul On Mitchell Robinson
Joel Embiid was angering Knicks fans all throughout the game, with his typical foul-baiting approach infuriating fans. He shot 21 free throws on the night, with some of them coming off soft calls. That isn’t even the aspect of Embiid’s play tonight that’s come under fire.
All of this happening in the same game is pretty wild tbh pic.twitter.com/PGvVPSJ7gv
— WADE 🏀 (@Its_Wade) April 26, 2024
Embiid made an ill-conceived foul on Mitchell Robinson as Embiid grabbed the ankle of the Knicks center as he was going for a layup. Naturally, this caused Robinson to exit the game with an ankle sprain, severely weakening the Knicks’ back-line.
Is this a dirty play by Joel Embiid? https://t.co/qjdMkKR3nb
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 26, 2024
Robinson was seen leaving the arena in a walking boot, further raising fears that he won’t be able to return to this series now that the 76ers have made it 2-1.
In most instances, a foul like that, which would result in a series-changing injury, would be punished severely by the NBA. A suspension would most definitely be on the cards, but it’s tough to say if the league will go down that path with Embiid. However, it wouldn’t be unprecedented.
In terms of the competitive balance, Embiid missing even one game could be a series-ended for the 76ers at this point, given it could cause them to fall to a 3-1 deficit.
While we’re all sympathetic to Embiid’s health issues right now, they aren’t a reason to justify sloppy or dirty play, which can injure other players. Robinson has had an equally challenging physical season as Embiid, returning at the end of the regular season after ankle surgery.
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