Subscribe
Follow Us
The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a 3-2 start after a victory over the winless Detroit Pistons on Thursday. But, it took a valiant effort from Sixers star Joel Embiid, who had to drop 30 points for his team. The big man revealed earlier this week however that he's been playing through significant knee soreness and even said that he couldn't walk following a loss to the Knicks on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Embiid continues to play through the pain and explained exactly why he's doing so. Via Sixers Wire:
“I’m just trying to be available for my teammates, for my team every single night,” said Embiid. “Trying to do the best job I can. Every single year, I come in with the mindset of trying to play in as many games as I can.”
The Sixers certainly need him to succeed, especially with Ben Simmons' future in Philly looking extremely uncertain. Embiid is truly the ultimate competitor and just wants to be there for his squad, regardless of the aches and pains.
Article Continues Below
The Cameroonian injured his knee in the season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans and it's clearly been bothering him since, but it's not going to stop him:
“This year, obviously, it’s unfortunate, I got hit during the first game,” he added. “It kinda handicapped me, but every single year, I come in with the mindset that I gotta play in more games than I have in the past. So far, this year, I’m on the right path. Whatever I’m needed to do, I’m gonna be doing it for the Sixers.”
Embiid will need to be at his absolute best this season if the Sixers are going to be a contender in the East. While it's certainly concerning that he's playing through a knee injury this early in the campaign, it doesn't look like it's going to slow him down.
