Beijing time on February 4th, according to news from well-known sports reporter Shams Charania, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was diagnosed with a displaced meniscus in his left knee and is considering surgery.
According to orthopedic knee experts, this injury is a type of meniscal tear.
Embiid, his doctor and the 76ers' third team are currently discussing what's the best next step? Should he rest and recover or undergo a surgery that would keep him out longer. A source close to Embiid said he will make a decision next Tuesday.
On Saturday local time, the 76ers declined to comment on the matter.
On Thursday local time, the 76ers announced that Embiid's lateral meniscus was injured and that he would miss the entire weekend until the treatment plan is finalized.
Embiid was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors when the Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga fell to the ground and crushed Embiid's left knee. Previously, Embiid missed the game against the Utah Jazz, which was the 13th game he missed this season.
Embiid began dealing with "pain" and "swelling" in his left knee in early January and missed three games at the start of the month. A source with the Sixers told The Athletic's Sam Amick that Embiid has been dealing with knee soreness for much of the season.
In 34 games played this season, Embiid averaged 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, becoming the league's scoring leader. From November 17 to January 25, Embiid scored 30 or more points in 22 consecutive games, the fifth longest streak in league history. His dominant performance this year includes 70 points and 18 rebounds in a win over the San Antonio Spurs on January 23.
But no matter what, Embiid's chance of winning the MVP again may be over. He has missed 13 games this season. According to new league rules, any player who fails to play in at least 65 of the team's 82 regular season games will be ineligible for regular season awards. Last season, Embiid was the MVP winner who played the fewest games (66) in a normal season since Bill Walton.
This season, the 76ers have 30 wins and 17 losses. Under the leadership of new head coach Nick Nurse, they are a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.
