Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is still dealing with a knee injury, and he recently made a shocking admission to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne about the severity of his problem.
It's not good:
.@ramonashelburne on Joel Embiid playing through injuries (via NBA Today).
"He told me after this game in New Orleans, he couldn't walk for two days." 😳
(via NBA Today) pic.twitter.com/yuq6fdbfDN
— ESPN (@espn) October 27, 2021
That is certainly not ideal, and it seems as if Embiid is playing through these issues because of the absence of Ben Simmons and because he wants to show leadership as the top dog of the team. Shelburne also brings up the MVP race in this clip and how missing extended time would affect Embiid's standing in it. The Sixers star was docked in the MVP race last season because he missed too many games.
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Of course, if Embiid can barely move and he's not even close to his best, playing seems pointless and downright dangerous when it comes to his long-term health. It would be better for him to rest up now and be ready down the road rather than trying to push through this throughout the long grind of a season.
Embiid played through a torn meniscus during the playoffs last season. But the playoffs are different than the start of the regular season. This is a marathon not a sprint, and one would think the Sixers would want to play it safe given his injury history. Simmons' absence certainly complicates matters, but still.
This is going to be a situation worth monitoring all season in Philly.
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