76ers Star Joel Embiid Being Treated for 'Mild Case' of Bell’s Palsy, per Report

The All-NBA big man is coming off a 50-point performance in Game 3 against the Knicks.

Joel Embiid / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks, 125–114, in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Thursday night. Shortly after the game ended, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported superstar Joel Embiid was dealing with a medical condition for the last week.

After Embiid recorded 50 points to beat the Knicks, Wojnarowski reported he'd been receiving treatment for a "mild" case of Bell’s palsy for the last week. The news had yet to be reported because the center wanted to limit distractions during the postseason.

ESPN Sources: Sixers star Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy for the past week. The condition began during the play-in victory over Miami but he has wanted to keep it private to avoid distractions for his team.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 26, 2024

Embiid, per Wojnarowski, was wearing sunglasses for much of the last week because Bell's palsy impacts facial muscles on half of the face.

Here's what Embiid said about it after the game.

After his massive Game 3 outing, Embiid is averaging 37.6 points per game in 2024 NBA postseason play. He missed 29 straight games during February and March in the regular season due to a meniscus injury.

The 76ers' victory on Thursday night brought the series to 2–1. Philadelphia will attempt to even things up on Sunday in Game 4.