Joel Embiid injury update: Philadelphia 76ers center reveals "Some days I can't lift my arm up... don't know what's going on"
Joel Embiid has updated on his health status following the Philadelphia 76ers' Saturday night victory against the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid had a season-high 42 points in the 121-109 win, which lifted the team to a 6-7 record in the 2022-23 NBA season.
Speaking on tweaking his ankle in the game and whether he will be available for the 76ers' next contest against the Utah Jazz in twenty-four hours, Embiid replied:
"I plan on playing, but I'm going to see how it reacts tomorrow. It's pretty sore, but we'll see."
Joel Embiid was also asked about his shoulder in the postgame media interaction, to which the five-time All-Star replied:
"I don't know what happened, but some days I can't lift my arm up. When I block shots, I really feel it. I don't know what's going on."
Joel Embiid tweaked his ankle: "I plan on playing but I'm going to see how it reacts tomorrow. It's pretty sore."
He also kept grabbing his shoulder: "I don't know what happened but some days I can't lift my arm up. When I block shots, I really feel it. I don't what's going on." https://t.co/beUK8tIdBM
Embiid, who has a significant injury history, has already missed four games for the 76ers to begin this season. He missed his first game on Oct. 28, when the 76ers visited the Toronto Raptors because he was dealing with knee soreness.
The 76ers center then missed three games between Oct. 31 and Nov. 4 due to a non-covid illness.
However, 76ers assistant coach, Sam Cassell, believes that Joel Embiid should be available to play for them versus Utah. Speaking to the media in place of head coach Doc Rivers, Cassell said:
"If he feeling good, I think he'll play."
When asked about Embiid grabbing his shoulder, Cassell made light of the matter. He remarked:
"Jo grabs everything."
Joel Embiid powers Philadelphia 76ers to dominant win versus Atlanta Hawks
Two nights earlier, the Philadelphia 76ers had suffered a nine-point defeat on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. Joel Embiid had a double-double (26 points, 13 rebounds) in that contest, but also committed a season-high eight turnovers that contributed to the team's 17 turnovers in the loss.
On Saturday night, though, Embiid was determined to make amends. He made his intentions well known in the very first quarter as he finished the 12-minute period with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers.
By the time he finished, Embiid had tallied his second 40-point game of the season while shooting 14 of 25 (56.0%) from the field. He also had 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks to post an all-round stat-line for the game.
Speaking to the media about his first-quarter performance, Embiid commented:
"Just trying to set the tone, send a message to my teammates and to the opposition … letting everybody know, including my teammates and the coaches, [how] the game is going to go tonight."
The only problem right now for the 76ers is that they have to get the 2021-22 scoring champion ready for the contest versus the Utah Jazz in less than 24 hours. It would be a tough ask, what with Embiid logging a season-high 40 minutes on Saturday night while dealing with his various issues.