Sixers' Joel Embiid Suffers Small Meniscus Tear in Knee, Out for Game 5

Sixers center Joel Embiid will not play in Wednesday night's Game 5 matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Wizards. According to an official statement released by the team, Embiid has suffered a meniscus tear in Monday's outing and could miss time moving forward.

Here's the official statement:

"An MRI, which was reviewed by several orthopedic specialists, revealed that Joel Embiid has a small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee.

The injury will be managed with physical therapy and a treatment program. Embiid is out for tonight's game vs. Washington and considered day-to-day."

During Monday night's game at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Embiid went up for a tough layup over Washington Wizards big man Robin Lopez. After losing control in the air, Embiid took a hard fall on his back.

Before landing on his back, though, the big man's foot planted on the ground, which caused his knee to buckle. Although it initially looked like Embiid hurt his back, the star center eventually left the game due to knee soreness.

After missing the entire second quarter, the Sixers eventually ruled Embiid out for the remainder of the game. Without him on the floor, the Sixers fell short to the Wizards in Game 4 and took on a tough loss before heading home for Game 5.

The good news is that Embiid's setback will not require surgery. While there isn't a guaranteed timeline for return, he's considered to be day-to-day. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, "managing potential swelling and pain" will play a key part in how soon the veteran All-Star will return to the floor. 

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