Embiid Adds Rolled Ankle to List of Setbacks He's Battling Through

Despite getting to the 2021 NBA Playoffs healthy and ready to compete at a high level, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is dealing with a lot at this point. Three games into the postseason, he was as fine as he'll ever be.

Then in Game 4 against the Washington Wizards, the healthy streak ended in the first quarter. The big man left with knee soreness 11 minutes into the matchup. After failing to return for the rest of the game, the Sixers scheduled an MRI for Embiid the following morning.

Embiid's test results revealed a small meniscus tear in his knee. He would miss the following game where the Sixers defeated the Washington Wizards once and for all. Despite being questionable heading into the Round 2 opener against the Atlanta Hawks, Embiid played on his torn meniscus in Games 1 and 2.

As expected, he was once again questionable for Game 3 on the road. Unsurprisingly, he was cleared for action. Although Embiid made it out of the first two games in one piece, he was dealing with a lot in Game 3 as he not only felt the pain of his meniscus tear, but he also rolled his ankle during the matchup. 

“It’s tough," Embiid admitted following his 33-minute shift against the Hawks on Friday night. "There’s really no difference. I rolled my ankle, but when it comes to the knee, a torn meniscus, it’s not easy. I just gotta keep it going; give it my best shot. I’m gonna give everything I got.”

The Sixers All-Star said he felt okay after Game 3, despite showing signs of being in pain throughout the matchup. Although he's battling through a lot right now, though, Embiid made it clear he's going to give everything he can in this series to ensure his team moves on in the playoffs.

“I’m standing up, I’m walking, I finished the game," Embiid added. "I’m gonna keep getting back up. I’m going to keep fighting. That’s been me since I started playing basketball. I’m gonna keep fighting, and that’s been my model. Whatever happens, get back up and keep it going. It is tough, but that’s my job. I gotta get a lot of treatment, I gotta lift, and I gotta let go do whatever is necessary to make sure that happens.”

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