Joel Embiid Brushed Off Minor Setback From Game 5 Loss to Heat

Going into the Game 5 matchup against the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was listed as questionable for the third-straight matchup.

After missing the first two games of the second-round series due to an orbital fracture and a mild concussion, Embiid found himself cleared out of the NBA’s concussion protocol ahead of Game 3.

Although he was initially listed as out, Embiid was eventually upgraded to doubtful and warmed up ahead of Game 3 with the intention of playing. Sure enough, the big man was cleared for action and made his series debut against the Heat at home during Game 3.

Embiid felt like he had low energy during his first game back, but he mentioned he felt good after playing in his first game since suffering his latest injuries during Game 6 of the first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.

In his second game back, Embiid looked much better as he helped the Sixers garner an eight-point victory at home before hitting the road for Game 5.

As expected, Embiid warmed up with the intention of playing the Heat in Game 5 on the road. Sure enough, Embiid was cleared for action and inserted into the starting lineup.

Unfortunately, during the matchup, Embiid suffered a bit of a setback. After a swatted ball smacked Embiid in the face, the big man was down on the floor in pain. While it took a while for the Sixers center to get up, he remained in the game.

Embiid’s presence was huge in Games 3 and 4, but on Tuesday night, he didn’t have the same impact. After checking in for 33 minutes, Embiid scored 17 points in Philadelphia’s blowout loss.

While the results of the game certainly weren’t positive for the Sixers, Embiid did give the team and its supporters good news after the game when he brushed off the in-game setback he suffered.

“I don’t know exactly what happened,” Embiid admitted after the game. “I felt something to my face in that area. It was pretty painful, but it’s whatever.”

While Embiid clearly won’t be one-hundred percent health-wise for the remainder of the series against the Heat, at least the injury scare on Game 5 wasn’t severe enough to cause further damage for the big man as he battles through numerous setbacks.

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

More Sixers News:

Doc Rivers Sounds Off After Game 5: Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers highlights several factors that played into his team’s struggles in Game 5 against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

Joel Embiid Reacts to MVP Loss: Despite coming up short in the NBA MVP race for the second season in a row, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid doesn’t have any hard feelings over the results. After Game 5, the veteran big man congratulated Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic for winning the award once again. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.