How many games has Joel Embiid missed this season due to injury? Philadelphia 76ers star’s injury record explored
Joel Embiid will easily go down as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Plus, he is the modern version of a big dominant man who can do damage on both ends of the floor. However, Embiid’s injury has always been a major concern.
Although the Philadelphia 76ers (25-13) remain one of the Eastern Conference's best teams, Embiid has missed 10 of their 38 games.
Compared to last season, when he missed 16 games, there is a high chance that the 76ers star will miss more games this season. He is already dealing with ankle and knee issues that could hamper his availability further.
Embiid has never played all 82 games in his career and has only played 71.2% of the games since he started playing for Philadelphia. Since Embiid started playing in 2016-17, the 76ers have played 593 games, and he has played 422 and missed 171 of those games.
Also, a broken foot kept him from playing in the first two seasons after he was drafted No. 3 in 2014. Including those seasons, he has played only 55.7% of Philly's games.
The two-time scoring champion has been having an excellent season, averaging 34.9 points per game in just 34.0 minutes. He is averaging 1.8 points more than his MVP season a year ago while averaging fewer minutes (34.6 mpg last season.)
However, there is a chance that Embiid will not win the MVP award in back-to-back seasons. To win the MVP award, a player has to play at least 65 games in the season which allows the player to miss a maximum of 17 games. So, Embiid can miss only seven of the 44 remaining games to be eligible for consideration. It seems to be an unlikely scenario for the reigning MVP, given his injury problems.
Joel Embiid gives an update on his latest injury
Joel Embiid returned to the 76ers' lineup against the Houston Rockets in a 124-115 victory on Monday after missing three consecutive games. The reigning league MVP showed no sign of slowing down as he had a 41-point double-double game in just 31 minutes. He made 12 of 21 shots from the field and 16 of 17 shots from the free-throw line along with 10 rebounds.
After the win, Embiid provided an update on his injury and the reason for his absence. He said that, as a team, the 76ers have one goal and that was a success in the postseason.
“We just wanted to make sure that we knew what was going on,” Embiid said. “This is the perfect time because the goal is to be ready for April, May, June. We just wanted to make sure that it was, you know, we knew what was happening for us, and also making sure that we see, we look at the long run and get ready for what’s to come next.”
When it comes to Embiid’s caliber as a player, especially on the offensive side of the floor, he is beyond doubt. However, injury concerns have impeded his availability, which has had a heavy impact. In his absence for three consecutive games, the Philadelphia 76ers lost two of them.
Embiid has been reportedly dealing with sprained ankle and knee inflammation lately. He was unavailable for the Christmas Day game against the Miami Heat, a 119-113 loss, which forced him to miss another few games.