Shortly before halftime on Friday night, Joel Embiid departed the Philadelphia 76ers game against the Indiana Pacers after being hit in the face while attempting to grab a defensive rebound.
When Embiid caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of his nose, he was facing Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin. As play went on up the floor, Embiid collapsed to the ground and remained there, holding his face close to the Philadelphia bench.
Due to an impact to his right side of the face early in the second half, the team declared him out and stated that he will be subjected to additional tests. In 17 1/2 minutes, he scored 12 points, pulled down four rebounds, and dished out five assists.
Out of the 23 games Philadelphia has played, Embiid was only in his sixth. His left knee has been swollen, and he was suspended for three games for a physical altercation with a reporter.
A number of facial injuries have also been sustained by Embiid, including one in 2018 following a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz and another in 2022 following a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam that resulted in a fractured orbital bone. Bell’s palsy struck Embiid following the team’s first-round playoff loss to New York last year.
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