NBA rumors: Joel Embiid suffers bone bruise in left knee

Adrian Wojnarowski: ESPN Sources with @Ramona Shelburne: Philadelphia Sixers star Joel Embiid’s MRI showed no structural damage to his left knee, just a bone bruise. ACL and meniscus are fine. No timeline yet on a return.

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He is still expected to miss time with the bone bruise, sources said, but there's significant relief within Sixers that the injury isn't something much worse. Embiid left Friday night's game when he hyperextended his left knee after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter.
Embiid had a similarly scary situation last month when he hyperextended his right knee in an awkward fall against the Portland Trail Blazers after blocking an Enes Kanter layup. In that game, Embiid returned a few minutes later and dominated, scoring 31 first-half points in a matchup Philadelphia eventually lost.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia's Joel Embiid will undergo an MRI on his left knee, sources tell ESPN. He left tonight's game vs. Washington after a hard fall to floor.
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he's "hoping for the best" as the team waits for an MRI on Joel Embiid's hyperextended left knee, which he suffered after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter of Friday night's 127-101 win over the Washington Wizards. "[He] just fell awkwardly," Rivers said, adding that Embiid will have the MRI after the team returns to Philadelphia later Friday night. "Thought there was a little contact when we went up to dunk the ball. Thought he fell with his balance off.
Kyle Neubeck: Tobias Harris on Embiid: “We’re just praying he’ll be okay and be healthy. We know how important Joel is to the team.” Mentions it’s especially tough since he knows how much time and effort Embiid has put into taking care of his body this year.
Rich Hoffman: Joel Embiid on his back: "It was pretty tight, but I just wanted to make sure we got the win." Said he wanted to give it a shot in the second half, but ends with, "I'll be fine."
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid, who is out tonight: “I don’t know if he took a step backwards, [his back] is still sore from the fall.” #Sixers
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid remains Questionable for the #Sixers tonight vs. #Pacers. Terrance Ferguson (health and safety protocols) and Mike Scott (knee) are out tonight.
Tom Moore: #Sixers coach Doc Rivers expects Joel Embiid to play Wednesday. Said he was 'in and out of practice' today.
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid left after being hit in the right wrist in the first half of the Sixers' 125-121 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and didn't return. The Sixers said Embiid got an X-ray at halftime that came back negative. Embiid, who is coming off an ankle injury he suffered in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, was already going to be held to limited minutes, so he was kept out the remainder of the game.
The Sixers' number of available All-Stars has dropped from two to zero this week. Joel Embiid left Sunday's game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter with a left ankle injury and the Sixers fell, 124-121. They're now 42-28 and next play the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
"I'm going to learn more physically," Brett Brown said after the game. "I don't know enough to comment on it. ... Joel was fully engaged as a teammate. As it relates to what his injury is or what it actually means, I can't comment. I don't know. But it was great just to see him being a part of the group."
Kyle Neubeck: Joel Embiid began experiencing discomfort in his right calf during Friday’s game vs. MEM and will not play in today’s scrimmage against OKC. Embiid is considered day to day, continues to receive treatment for right calf tightness, and will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
The Athletic: Joel Embiid is hopeful to return on Wednesday against Detroit, sources tell NBA Insider @Shams Charania. More 📝 in the latest Inside Pass: theathletic.com/1659421/?sourc…
Embiid practiced Friday for the first time since surgery, wearing padding and tape on his hand that he called “a cast.” The Sixers said he’d be re-evaluated Monday, and Embiid said he’d have to wear that “cast” when he comes back — whenever that might be. They host the Warriors on Tuesday and then go out for a rugged four-game trip, finishing with dates at Boston, Miami and Milwaukee. 24. “I think usually this stuff takes a month to get back from,” Embiid said. “It’s been two weeks. It can take longer, but I am not happy with where we are and just gotta keep praying and hoping it keeps getting better so I can get back out there with my guys.”
Joel Embiid, who practiced Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his finger, said he hopes to return to the court for the Philadelphia 76ers next week. "Just trying to get back into it and make the progress that's necessary," Embiid said after a lengthy post-practice workout Friday afternoon. "But I feel good. ... I think my finger feels good."
Embiid, who had surgery on Jan. 10 to repair the torn radial collateral ligament in his left ring finger, said he's "not too concerned" about the All-Star Game, when asked if he thinks he'll be back for the league's annual showcase on Feb. 16 in Chicago. "Right now we are sixth in the East," Embiid said. "Next week, I'm hoping to play."
Embiid said he would have to continue to keep wearing the protective device on his hand when he returns. "Still getting used to it," Embiid said of playing again post-surgery. "From time to time, you get slapped on the hand, so going through practice and going through those scenarios and seeing how it goes and also getting back into it. I had a little time off where I couldn't do anything with the surgery, so probably a little bit winded, and have to get my conditioning back."
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid had successful surgery on left hand today, per source. Reevaluating in 1-2 weeks.
Keith Pompey: Joel Embiid declined to do a post-shootaround interview, preferring to speak before the game. But the #Sixers center said he feels good.
Keith Pompey: #Sixers center Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the #AtlantaHawks with a sprained right ankle/sutures for lip laceration.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Saturday's game at the Detroit Pistons, the team announced. Embiid complained of discomfort in his right ankle after the team's season-opening win against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. He has since been diagnosed with a sprained ankle.
Serena Winters: Joel Embiid did not practice today (right ankle sprain). Listed as questionable for tomorrow. He also received sutures for the lip laceration from the season opener
Serena Winters: Brett Brown has no update on Joel Embiid. (Currently still probable with upper respiratory)
Kyle Neubeck: Embiid went back to the locker room, didn’t see him do much other than shoot jumpers. Body language was not especially encouraging, could see a band aid on his arm where I presume he would have been hooked up to an IV this week. That’s all I got until decision is made.
Josh Lewenberg: Has Jimmy Butler asked Embiid how he's feeling? "I didn't ask how he's doing. I can look at him and tell how he's doing." How does he look? JB: "Sick. I tried to stay as far away as I could to tell you the truth. I love him but I don't want to be sick. I hate being sick."
Serena Winters: Joel Embiid seemed very sick talking to him post-game. He told us he could not sleep, was throwing up last night, and had to get an IV at 6AM this morning. Also said it was not related to the stomach issue he had for Game 2.
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April 2, 2023 | 7:03 am EDT Update

Ben Simmons will be healthy to start the next season for sure, his agent says

Simmons averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists — all career lows — while missing at least 40 games (bringing his total to 70 of 112 regular-season games missed with the Nets), much to the frustration of fans. He is owed $78.2 million over the next two seasons. The 26-year-old’s agent, Bernie Lee, told The Post that Simmons “will be healthy to start the next season, for sure.”
“Without getting into specifics, what I’ve learned in all these conversations is that what Ben experienced here is considered to be part of the recovery from his previous procedure,” Lee told The Post. “The NBA schedule is obviously rigorous and not forgiving to the need for patience at times, and Ben made every effort to be available to help his team in every way as much as he could. “This step at this point in time is being taken in partnership with the team to support Ben, to allow him to really get himself physically prepared to begin the start of next season — in an effort to lead the Nets in the way he’s shown over the course of his young career he’s capable of doing.”

Michael Porter: 'People are so hard on Ben Simmons'

Porter had a microdiscectomy of his L3-L4 discs while in college, and underwent a second surgery the summer he was drafted, causing him to miss the entire 2018-19 campaign. He averaged just 9.3 points the following season, but erupted for 19.0 points per game the next. “People are so hard on Ben Simmons. But I know what he’s going through as far as he’s able to play right now, but he’s not back to Ben Simmons, and it’ll take awhile for him to have all the explosiveness,” Porter said. “I watched a little highlight video from a couple years ago — he’s just flying down the lane. He’ll get that back, but it just takes time. Anything with the back, it just inhibits a little bit of explosiveness.”
Multiple specialists who spoke with The Post said the 18-month timeline for his nerves to heal sounded accurate. “Remember, nerves regenerate — if they can — about a millimeter a day, depending on the damage that’s there,” said Dr. Rahul Shah, a Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine & Neck Surgeon and partner with Premier Orthopedic Associates in New Jersey. “So assuming he’s roughly 7 feet tall, or three and a half feet from his hips down to his foot, that’s what you’re looking at: about 18 months to two years for the nerve to fully regenerate. Or to whatever extent they can.”
Brown has virtually no incentive to sign this summer without the supermax, as even with the increase to 140 percent, he would be eligible for a similarly structured extension from Boston regardless of award status when he reaches unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024. All of which means the Celtics need to hope Brown lands one of 15 All-NBA berths this summer to entice an extension. Boston would still be well positioned to retain him over rivals, but an early extension would eliminate a storyline that would linger throughout the 2023-24 season.