Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated in the second round by the Miami Heat. Harden may have been out of form. However, Joel Embiid’s injuries greatly changed the series.
Embiid may have been coming off an MVP caliber season. However, he had sustained plenty of injuries and missed a part of the 76ers- Heat series.
Embiid may be one of the most dominant forces presently in the NBA. However, he has always been injury-prone. A part of this is his large build and frame. Another part is his tendency to try to overexert himself and do what his body is not capable of doing.
Joel Embiid had at least 2 surgeries this NBA offseason
Embiid may be one of the most dominant forces presently in the NBA. However, he has always been injury-prone. A part of this is his large build and frame. Another part is his tendency to try to overexert himself and do what his body is not capable of doing.
This could include hustle plays, diving on the floor for loose balls, or rushing to save the ball from going out of bounds. These are plays where the fingers are most likely to get damaged.
Joel Embiid averaged 30.6 points, 11 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this season before his injuries. However, after he damaged his orbital eye socket in the 76ers- Raptors series, he became much less aggressive for the rest of the postseason.
Embiid was unable to play in the first two games of the series vs the Heat. The Philadelphia 76ers lost both these games without their star big man. Embiid returned for in game 3. However, he scored less than expected. Therefore, the 76ers were eliminated in 6 games.
He has now undergone surgery for both his right thumb and left index finger. Hopefully, they will not be reoccurring or nagging injuries. Reports have indicated that the surgeries were a success and that Embiid will attend the 76ers training camp.
Embiid and Harden must hope for a relatively injury-free season next year. They have a limited time frame to win an NBA championship. The window as we speak can be defined as the time remaining in James Harden’s prime and Joel Embiid’s physical health.