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Sixers' Joel Embiid Exits Friday's Game vs. Wizards With Injury

Sixers center Joel Embiid left Friday's game against the Wizards early with an injury.

Justin Grasso

Sixers' Joel Embiid Exits Friday's Game vs. Wizards With Injury
Sixers' Joel Embiid Exits Friday's Game vs. Wizards With Injury /

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid left Friday night's game against the Washington Wizards early with an injury. As the big man went up for a powerful dunk midway through the third quarter, the All-Star landed awkwardly on his knee.

Embiid remained on the floor grabbing at his knee for a few moments as the Sixers' training staff surrounded him. As his teammates came over to help him get up, Embiid, fortunately, walked off the court using his own power.

However, the veteran center did have a noticeable limp. While the scene of the injury was certainly scary for the 76ers, ESPN writer Tim Bontemps reports that the four-time All-Star said he was alright to his teammates and staff.

As expected, Embiid went straight to the Sixers' locker room and his return is questionable. 

Friday night's game marked the first time Embiid has played since wrapping up the first half of the season last Wednesday against the Utah Jazz. Although Embiid was set to play in the 2021 NBA All-Star game last Sunday, the four-time All-Star came in close contact with somebody who tested positive for COVID-19.

With that, Embiid was entered into the NBA's health and safety protocol for contact tracing. After being quarantined for the last seven days, Embiid finally returned to the court on Friday after missing Thursday's matchup against the Chicago Bulls.

Before leaving Friday's game with a knee injury, Embiid shot 8-11 from the field for 23 points in 20 minutes of action. 

Update:

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Joel Embiid will undergo an MRI on his left knee Friday night.

*This article will be updated as more details emerge. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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