NBA Rumors: The Philadelphia 76ers could be without Joel Embiid, after suffering an orbital fracture, to start the playoffs
The Philadelphia 76ers are red-hot, winners of eight-stragight games and 12 of their last 15 in the month of March. They are currently 4th in the Eastern Conference, just a half game out of the third-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, that has now all changed.
That’s because they’re going to have to complete their push towards the playoffs without Joel Embiid, who is sidelined indefinitely after suffering an orbital fracture.
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Depending how quickly he recovers, Embiid could miss the start of the playoffs.
"[via ESPN]Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid suffered an orbital fracture that will require surgery and he also has a concussion, the Sixers said Thursday.…ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that, pending the results of the surgery, Embiid could return in two to four weeks. The 76ers have clinched a spot in the playoffs, which begin April 14."
And that’s a real shame. In the 11 games that Joel Embiid has missed this season, the Philadelphia 76ers are 3-8. Not great. Clearly, he’s an important player for this team, and him not being healthy and active is could to have an impact.
The question is, how far will the Sixers fall in the standings with Embiid injured? The good news is that they’re roughly four games ahead of the Washington Wizards, who are 6th in the conference.
Barring some extended losing streak, the Sixers seem to be locked into the 4th or 5th seed in the East. It should be noted that Philadelphia has the easiest schedule remaining in the NBA, having only to play two playoff teams in their last eight games. That should help.
Where this becomes very bad is if Embiid misses the start of the playoffs too. Embiid is averaging 23 points, 11 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game for the Sixers. Losing that type of production might be OK for a couple or even a few weeks of the regular season, but not in the playoffs.
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The NBA playoffs is all about stars, and they’re usually the ones that decide series. Not having Embiid available would be brutal for Philadelphia in any first-round series, especially one against a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers.