Sixers shuts down oft-injured Embiid for rest of NBA season

Sports

BAD news for the Philadelphia Sixers diehards.

The Sixers announced on Saturday (Philippine time), March 1, that they are shutting down their top big man Joel Embiid for the rest of the season due to a nagging knee injury.

The Sixers announced that Embiid is “medically unable to play” and will focus on treatment and rehabilitation of his left knee.

“The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid have been consulting with top specialists regarding ongoing issues with his left knee. After further evaluation, it has been determined that he is medically unable to play and will miss the remainder of the season to focus on treatment and rehabilitation,” the team said in a statement.

The one-time MVP Embiid has become one of the league’s elite big men when the Sixers drafted him as the No. 3 overall pick in 2014.

The Cameroonian-American center, however, was hounded by recurring injuries that forced him to miss a ton of games.

“We are working with medical experts to determine the exact treatment plan and will update the media when we have more information. The team and specialists will continue working with Joel to ensure the best path forward for his long-term health and performance,” the team added.

The decision to shut down Embiid came while the Sixers are fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sixers are currently out of the playoff picture as they are at 12th place with a 20-38 (win-loss) record.

Philadelphia is 8-11 with Embiid this season and 12-27 without him.

Embiid has only played 19 games this season, averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks a game.(CCM)