Kofi Inkoom
Joel Embiid returned to the Game 1 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round series against the New York Knicks, despite appearing to have suffered another injury to his left knee late in the second quarter.
Status alert: Joel Embiid (knee) has returned to Saturday’s game.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) April 20, 2024
This season, Embiid has been sidelined for 30 games due to a torn meniscus in his left knee, requiring surgery in February. The injury occurred on Saturday following one of the most impressive plays of the season.
While in the paint and defended by 7-foot Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, Embiid executed a self-pass off the backboard, catching it and dunking it one-handed. However, he seemed to sustain an injury upon landing and immediately fell to the floor.
Embiid remained on the ground for several minutes as 76ers staff assessed his knee. Eventually, with some assistance, he stood up and made his way into the tunnel for further evaluation.
He exited the game with 2:37 remaining in the second quarter, with the Sixers trailing 51-46. Up to that point, he had scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds in 16 minutes of play. Since his return in early April, Embiid has experienced recurring problems with his left knee.
He appeared to aggravate it on April 12 during the 76ers’ second-to-last regular-season game and subsequently sat out the season finale as a precautionary measure. Throughout this period, he has been wearing a substantial brace on his left knee.