Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been a key player for the team, despite facing setbacks due to a knee injury he sustained in January against the Golden State Warriors. After undergoing surgery and following an eight-week recovery plan, Embiid returned to play in the final weeks of the regular season.
Despite concerns about his knee, Embiid has not missed a game in the postseason, including games against the New York Knicks. However, leading up to their series against the Knicks, Embiid was listed as questionable due to ongoing knee injury recovery. Rumors began circulating that he was dealing with a mysterious setback, especially after being seen wearing sunglasses during public appearances off the court.
After the Sixers’ Game 3 victory against the Knicks, it was reported that Embiid has a “mild case” of Bell’s palsy, which he developed during the Play-In Tournament against the Miami Heat. Embiid chose to keep this diagnosis private to avoid distractions for the team during their first round of playoffs. Despite these setbacks, Embiid has been an impressive player for Philadelphia and is hopeful to continue contributing as long as he can push through them.