NBA Rumors: Sixers Fear Joel Embiid Has Torn Ligament in Thumb

When the Philadelphia 76ers played the Toronto Raptors for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series, Sixers star Joel Embiid was spotted favoring his right hand.

After Embiid hit the game-winning shot that put the 76ers up 3-0 in the series, the big man revealed that he was dealing with a thumb/wrist injury following the game.

“I don’t know exactly what happened," Embiid said. "I just started feeling pain. I think I might’ve twisted it, so we’re gonna see what’s going on tomorrow."

As it turns out, Embiid is dealing with a thumb injury, and there is a fear that he might've torn a ligament, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Per Charania, Embiid and the Sixers' medical staff will work together on figuring out his playing status moving forward. Similar to past seasons, Embiid's status will likely rely on his pain tolerance.

Embiid suffered a knee injury during the first-round series against the Washington Wizards just last season. Following a Game 4 loss on the road in Washington, Embiid was diagnosed with a torn meniscus. He missed Game 5 of the series but played in the final seven games of Philadelphia's postseason run.

While Embiid's latest setback certainly isn't ideal, the big man doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. After hitting the game-winning three on Wednesday night, Embiid mentioned there is "no chance" he'll miss playing time moving forward.

Per Charania, Embiid has "vowed" to continue playing even after learning he might be battling a torn ligament. It's unclear how much his game will be affected moving forward, but Embiid seems set on continuing to play no matter what.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.