Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers has been dealing with a setback since suffering a knee injury back in January during a game against the Golden State Warriors. After undergoing surgery and an eight-week recovery plan, Embiid returned to action in the final weeks of the regular season. He played in most of the Sixers’ final games and has not missed a game since the start of the postseason.
Before each playoff game against the New York Knicks, Embiid was listed as questionable due to his knee injury recovery, leading many to speculate about a mysterious setback. Recently, Embiid has been seen wearing sunglasses off the court, which is unusual for him. It was revealed after Game 3 that Embiid has been diagnosed with a “mild case” of Bell’s palsy, a condition that he has kept hidden to avoid distracting his team.
Despite facing setbacks, Embiid has been a key player for the Sixers in the postseason, averaging impressive stats in the first two games against the Knicks. In Game 3, Embiid had a standout performance, scoring a playoff career-high 50 points and leading the Sixers to their first win in the playoffs. While his status moving forward may remain questionable, the Sixers are hopeful that Embiid will continue to play through any challenges that come his way.