‘Feel sick for him’ – Joel Embiid branded unluckiest player in NBA after suffering another injury
Joel Embiid has suffered yet another injury setback, with fans branding him the ‘unluckiest player’ in basketball. The 2023 NBA MVP was struck in the face going for a defensive rebound late in the first half of the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Embiid exited in the first half of the 76ers latest loss on Friday nightNBC Sports He crumpled to the floor as play continued up the court and stayed down near the bench, holding his face. Embiid left Wells Fargo Center for evaluation, with the 76ers later announcing he had sustained a sinus fracture and will be further evaluated over the weekend. In the closing seconds of the first half, the 30-year-old was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin for a defensive rebound when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nose. The incident prematurely ended what was only his sixth game for the 76ers this season. Embiid was previously sidelined by swelling in his left knee and served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter in November. His latest injury quickly got fans talking on social media, with many sharing sympathy for the seven-time NBA All-Star. “Joel Embiid has to be the most unlucky player to ever pick up a basketball,” one person wrote. “There’s quite literally nothing he can do to avoid these kind of freak accidents. It’s unbelievable. Story of his career. Dude finally gets healthy just to have this happen yet again. Feel sick for him.” “Joel 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 said. “This guy is the unluckiest athlete I’ve ever seen with injuries. Just brutal,” a third concluded. View Tweet: https://t.co/K0E7jrYB4F Embiid was struck in the face going for a defensive reboundNBC Sports Embiid left the arena for evaluation, with the 76ers later announcing he had sustained a sinus fractureGetty Embiid has suffered a number of injuries to his face in the past, including an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs and another in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last season, he revealed a Bell’s palsy diagnosis during the playoffs. Before his latest setback, Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in the 17 and a half minutes he played in Philadelphia’s 121-107 loss to the Pacers on Friday night. The defeat saw the team fall to 7-16 on the season. Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, who were billed as Philadelphia’s ‘Big Three’ after George’s offseason arrival, have played parts of only three games together in a frustrating campaign so far. “You just have to move on and practice when we practice again and have a next-man-up mentality,” Maxey, who led the 76ers with 22 points on Friday, said. Embiid has only played six games for the 76ers this seasonGetty “What sucks about this is that we were moving in the right direction. Guys were figuring out roles, what coach wants from them and playing the right way. “We know how to play with Joel – and now, we may have to revert our minds back to playing without him. That’s OK. It’s different. That’s how life is.” Philadelphia’s next game is against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
Joel Embiid has suffered yet another injury setback, with fans branding him the ‘unluckiest player’ in basketball.
The 2023 NBA MVP was struck in the face going for a defensive rebound late in the first half of the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
He crumpled to the floor as play continued up the court and stayed down near the bench, holding his face.
Embiid left Wells Fargo Center for evaluation, with the 76ers later announcing he had sustained a sinus fracture and will be further evaluated over the weekend.
In the closing seconds of the first half, the 30-year-old was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin for a defensive rebound when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nose.
The incident prematurely ended what was only his sixth game for the 76ers this season.
Embiid was previously sidelined by swelling in his left knee and served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter in November.
His latest injury quickly got fans talking on social media, with many sharing sympathy for the seven-time NBA All-Star.
“Joel Embiid has to be the most unlucky player to ever pick up a basketball,” one person wrote.
“There’s quite literally nothing he can do to avoid these kind of freak accidents. It’s unbelievable. Story of his career. Dude finally gets healthy just to have this happen yet again. Feel sick for him.”
“Joel 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 said.
“This guy is the unluckiest athlete I’ve ever seen with injuries. Just brutal,” a third concluded.
Embiid has suffered a number of injuries to his face in the past, including an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs and another in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz.
Last season, he revealed a Bell’s palsy diagnosis during the playoffs.
Before his latest setback, Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in the 17 and a half minutes he played in Philadelphia’s 121-107 loss to the Pacers on Friday night.
The defeat saw the team fall to 7-16 on the season.
Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, who were billed as Philadelphia’s ‘Big Three’ after George’s offseason arrival, have played parts of only three games together in a frustrating campaign so far.
“You just have to move on and practice when we practice again and have a next-man-up mentality,” Maxey, who led the 76ers with 22 points on Friday, said.
“What sucks about this is that we were moving in the right direction. Guys were figuring out roles, what coach wants from them and playing the right way.
“We know how to play with Joel – and now, we may have to revert our minds back to playing without him. That’s OK. It’s different. That’s how life is.”
Philadelphia’s next game is against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
