Joel Embiid Offers Health Update After Injury Scare on Saturday

Saturday night’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves was tough for the Philadelphia 76ers. Considering the team missed several players, including James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris, Philly’s All-Star center Joel Embiid had a lot to make up for in the matchup.

As Embiid was in the midst of his 35-minute shift on Saturday night, the big man had an injury scare of his own. As Embiid collided with his teammate Georges Niang in the second half, the All-Star center was down for a bit and slow to get up.

While Embiid had a noticeable limp after getting up, he stayed on the court to finish out the matchup. In his final ten minutes on the floor, Embiid accounted for eight of the Sixers’ 25 fourth-quarter points. The big man helped the Sixers nearly orchestrate a comeback victory. Unfortunately, the Sixers came up short 112-109 to Minnesota.

After the game, Embiid discussed the injury he suffered. While he wasn’t exactly sure what he was dealing with, he made it clear that there was still lingering pain.

“I’m not sure I think it was my ankle or my foot,” said Embiid. “I’m not sure. Hopefully, somehow it feels better, but we’ll see.”

The Sixers have the next two days off from games before they return to South Philly to face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. It’s too early to tell whether Embiid will be able to play on Tuesday or not. Despite dealing with several setbacks lately, Embiid has proven that he’s willing to take the court as long as he’s not putting his long-term health at risk.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.