Sixers Cautious With Joel Embiid’s Injury

The Sixers aren’t releasing much information about Friday’s injury to rookie center Joel Embiid, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Embiid suffered a bruise on his left knee in the third quarter of a game with the Trail Blazers. He returned for part of the fourth quarter before being pulled with 8:50 left to play.

Before tonight’s game in Atlanta, the Sixers said they weren’t sure when Embiid will play again. It could be when they return home Tuesday or he could be held out longer. Embiid wasn’t scheduled to make the trip to Atlanta because it was the second game of a back-to-back.

“I don’t know,” coach Brett Brown said when asked when Embiid might return to action. “Like I say, I think we will learn more when we get back to Philadelphia.”

Pompey states that it appeared Embiid may have hyperextended his knee, which could put him out for about a week. An X-ray on the knee was taken Friday.

Teammate Nerlens Noel said Embiid was moving well after Friday’s game and expressed confidence that he won’t be out long.

“He’s good,” Noel said. “I think it was more about precautionary to leave him out [for the final 8:50 Friday]. He told me even before the game ended that he felt all right. … They just got to take care of him.”

Embiid’s history makes any injury worrisome. He missed his first two NBA seasons while trying to recover from a twice-broken bone in his right foot.

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