The 76ers lost pretty badly to the Celtics, and while the optics of their most recent loss are definitely not ideal, the team should remain thankful that they got out of that game scot-free. After all, Joel Embiid had an injury scare midway through their matchup, which is absolutely something that Philadelphia cannot afford to deal with at this point in time, given their current circumstances.
Before the halftime break, Embiid limped toward the locker room after suffering a hard fall while attempting to score in transition. Luckily for the team, he managed to return in the second half, signaling that he is just fine. For now, his status will likely be day-to-day (questionable on Thursday), but the 76ers have every reason to deal with it more seriously than the situation would normally warrant.
The 76ers dodge a massive bullet as Joel Embiid survives injury scare
Embiid is in much healthier shape to start the season compared to previous campaigns, but Philly's brass has remained overly conservative in managing his load so far –– and rightfully so. The 76ers, despite their glaring issues on offense, still pack more than enough juice to afford him some nights off.
However, the 76ers absolutely cannot afford to see Embiid miss games due to injury and not because of rest and load management. Their depth at the center position is pretty flimsy right now, and just the thought of losing the former MVP, who is still a potent scorer and an effective defensive anchor, should make the team very antsy.
Joel's lower extremities have already been vulnerable to start the season. He has been dealing with plantar fasciitis early on, and right after their game against the Celtics, he confirmed that he had tweaked his ankle in that sequence, which got him limping to the locker room.
Embiid has struggled immensely on the offensive end to start the season. Out of everyone on the roster, he has had to adjust the most in order to accommodate the 76ers' brand new additions in the offseason. Now, he is in the process of reinventing himself once more, though he remains critical to the group's championship bid.
As the 76ers have learned over the years, Joel Embiid is still the biggest pendulum swinger of their fate as a franchise. Hence, the last thing this team needs is another injury scare from him, especially now that they do not have a strong cushion behind him at center.
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