76ers HC: No Plans to Shut Down ‘Warrior’ Joel Embiid After Injury Scare vs. Knicks

Andrew PetersApril 21, 2024

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said the team has no plans of shutting down Joel Embiid after an injury scare in a 111-104 Game One loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

“He really is a warrior,” Nurse said of Embiid. “And he’s battling. I think he absolutely wants to play.”

In the final minutes of the first half, Embiid recorded the highlight of the game with an off-the-backboard alley-oop to himself finished with a powerful dunk over OG Anunoby. The reigning MVP appeared to suffer a leg injury and briefly exited the game.

NBA @NBAJoel Embiid went off the glass to himself for a POSTER 😱💥

PHI-NYK | ESPN pic.twitter.com/kLgs52FrYj

Embiid returned to the game and managed to play 37 minutes, notching 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists, though the performance wasn’t enough to get past the Knicks. It was Philadelphia’s first loss since Embiid returned from a meniscus surgery that forced him to miss 29 games.

Saturday’s injury scare was the second time Embiid has exited a game with leg pain since his return.

Against the Orlando Magic in the 76ers’ penultimate game of the regular season, Embiid scored a basket and came down hard, grimacing and favoring his knee in the final minutes of the first half. He exited for the remainder of the half but returned in the third quarter before resting in the final game of the season.

Philadelphia hopes Embiid’s injury scare won’t cause further issues moving forward, as it will need its star to get past the second-seeded Knicks in the first round. The 76ers and New York traded leads for much of Saturday’s game, but a clutch three from Josh Hart helped put Philadelphia away in the final minute.

Game Two of the best-of-seven series will take place Monday in New York at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.