Joel Embiid Doubtful For Tuesday With Left Knee Contusion

According to the Sixers, Joel Embiid is doubtful for tomorrow night’s contest with the Clippers:

Embiid suffered a left knee contusion during Friday night’s game against Portland, after landing uncomfortably after a driving dunk. After leaving the game early in the second half, he returned for the fourth quarter and appeared to re-aggravate it after landing awkwardly on his left leg yet again. Diagnosed with a hyperextended knee, he was finally done for the game.

This obviously isn’t thrilling news, but this is the proper precaution to take. In hindsight, returning to the game for the fourth quarter on Friday night probably wasn’t wise either. These are January games for a young team that we’re talking about here, and any injury that forces Embiid to apply extra pressure to his right leg or foot (the originally injured side) is one that should be monitored especially closely. The team’s invigorated performance in January has been a blast, but this isn’t something that should be forced. There’s not a single thing more important to the team’s trajectory than Joel Embiid’s health.

Embiid also won’t travel to Milwaukee for Wednesday’s game, but this was prescheduled, since it’ll be the second game of a back-to-back. The team surely wants to take all of the proper precautions, and likely want to get him to 100 percent for Friday night’s national tilt at home against Houston, pending further updates.