PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers welcomed back Joel Embiid on Friday night as he took the court against the Charlotte Hornets after missing a game due to a sinus fracture. The crowd erupted in cheers as Embiid was introduced, sporting a protective mask reminiscent of the “Phantom of the Opera” during his highly anticipated return.
This season has been challenging for Embiid, who has struggled with various injuries, appearing in only six games mostly because of persistent knee discomfort. This injury crisis is a significant factor contributing to the 76ers’ disappointing performance, leaving them below the .500 mark and out of contention in the Eastern Conference.
Before the game, Coach Nick Nurse shared an optimistic report on Embiid’s condition after his pre-game workout, noting that multiple factors come into play when considering Embiid’s participation in each game. “I just think it’s overall probably everything,” Nurse explained. “How’s he feeling, how’s the conditioning working out? How’s his body feeling? Just everything. How’s he breathing? How’s he moving? All that stuff.”
This matchup marked just the fourth time this season that the star trio of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George shared the floor together. Embiid has a history of using a similar protective mask; he wore one previously during his NBA career.
In 2018, Embiid endured a significant injury, fracturing his left orbital bone and suffering a concussion after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz, which kept him off the court for the last eight regular-season games and the first two playoff games that year. Additionally, in April 2022, an elbow from Pascal Siakam during a series-clinching playoff game led to another orbital fracture, forcing him to miss the initial games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The latest incident involving Embiid’s facial injury occurred the previous Friday during a game against the Indiana Pacers. While competing for position against Bennedict Mathurin, an errant forearm and elbow struck him on the bridge of the nose, causing him to collapse to the ground in visible distress as play continued and he clutched his face near the sidelines.
Moreover, Embiid has been grappling with swelling in his left knee and faced a three-game suspension resulting from a physical altercation with a reporter. Last season, his appearances were limited to 39 games due to knee surgery after suffering a meniscus tear in his left knee during a game against the Golden State Warriors on January 30.
Embiid, who played a pivotal role in helping the United States secure a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, entered training camp this season with a hefty $193 million contract but opted to skip the entire preseason.
