Joel Embiid, one of the favorites for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award in the NBA, injured his left knee in Friday’s game for the Philadelphia 76ers, who are on edge to learn the severity of their star’s injury.
In the third quarter of the game against the Washington Wizards, the center made a violent movement after which he leaned in bad posture on his left leg, causing him to fall on the court between gestures of pain. Embiid, 2.13 meters tall, lay for a few minutes with his hands at the knee. He was finally able to get up and walk limping to the locker room.
The Sixers, who at the moment believe that it is a hyperextension of the knee, will subject the player to an MRI upon return to Philadelphia, ESPN reported. I spoke to him in the locker room. He’s in good spirits so let’s hope for the best Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. The Cameroonian spent 20 minutes on the court with 23 points and 7 rebounds in the 127-101 win over the Wizards, whose stars Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal finished 25 and 19 points respectively.
Embiid, 26, returned to the team this Friday after overcoming a quarantine that made him miss the All-Star last Sunday. Both the Cameroonian and Australian point guard Ben Simmons, who remains under the NBA’s prevention protocol, were removed from the All-Star for having been in contact with a Philadelphia barber who tested positive for covid-19. Embiid is starring in the best season of his career with averages of 30.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists and decisive performances for the Sixers to occupy the first position of the Eastern Conference.
DAVIS, TWO MORE WEEKS OUT
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers 105-100 in the tenth game without their center Anthony Davis, who they confirmed will continue to be out for at least two more weeks. With this victory, the Los Angeles team adds four wins and six losses since Davis’ twine injury.LeBron James added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma 24 points -15 of them in the fourth quarter- for the reigning champions while Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis scored 29 and 20 points for the Pacers.
NUGGETS BEAT GRIZZLIES IN THRILLING FINALE
The Denver Nuggets suffered to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-102 in a fast-paced finale in which point guard Ja Morant missed a decisive basket almost over the horn. Morant’s 16 points and 9 assists were insufficient against the Nuggets in which the Serbian Jokic shone again with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. Facundo Campazzo returned to the team after three games off due to the coronavirus prevention protocol. He played 20 minutes from the bench with 8 points, 2 triples, and 4 assists.
KEVIN LOVE RETURNS WITH THE CAVALIERS
After two and a half months out due to a calf injury, veteran Kevin Love returned to the court in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 116-82 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Love, 32, only spent 10 minutes on the court with 4 points, 1 triple, and 1 rebound. It felt great to play real basketball. I spent a lot of time outside, Love acknowledged. I’ll probably need a couple of weeks to be myself again. For the Pelicans, forward Brandon Ingram finished with 28 points and young power Zion Williamson with another 23.
DRAGIC SCORES 20 POINTS IN FOURTH QUARTER
Slovenian point guard Goran Dragic exploded with 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Miami Heat’s 101-90 win over the Chicago Bulls. The 34-year-old Dragic played 32 minutes from the bench and came into the break with his locker blank. In the third quarter, the point guard scored 5 points and in the last, he added 20 more to seal the ninth win in the last 10 games for the Heat. Miami, the finalist from last season, is in fourth place in the East after a negative start to the campaign in which they missed their figure Jimmy Butler, who this Friday signed 28 points and 8 assists. For the Bulls guard Zach Lavine reached 30 points with 6 triples.
