Sixers superstar Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy for the past week, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The condition began during the play-in game against Miami, but according to Wojnarowski, Embiid kept it a secret to not allow for distractions.
There’s been some speculation circling about why Embiid was wearing sunglasses and if that was related to an eye issue, but Wojnarowski (Twitter link) reports that it’s because of Bell’s palsy, which is an episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Embiid said dealing with the condition has been “pretty annoying” (Twitter link). “It’s unfortunate … got to keep pushing,” Embiid said.
Embiid hasn’t let it prevent him from making an impact in the series — he dropped a playoff career-high 50 points to lead the Sixers to a win over the Knicks in Game 3. As the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy writes, Embiid was physical and efficient in the game, connecting on 13 of his 19 shot attempts. He had 18 points in the third quarter.
We have more from the Sixers:
- Kelly Oubre was involved in a car accident after Game 2, according to TMZ. The wreck happened in the earlier hours of Tuesday morning, with police saying Oubre “disregarded a red traffic signal” and ran into another car. No one reported any injuries, but both cars had to be towed from scene. Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gina Mizell confirmed the TMZ report (Twitter link).
- Before Philadelphia’s Game 3 victory, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps explored reasons why the 2-0 deficit wasn’t as dire as it seemed. Bontemps identified several keys for the rest of the series, including the impressive play of Tyrese Maxey and Embiid’s ability to play through injuries. In addition, Cameron Payne delivered 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench in Game 3 after Bontemps pointed out Philly’s role players had been somewhat limited in the first two games.
- Despite expressing displeasure with how Game 2 was officiating, Philadelphia didn’t file a formal protest and instead let the deadline pass, Bondy writes in a separate piece. In the playoffs, a protest “must be filed not later than midnight of the day of the game protested.” For what it’s worth, reporting after Game 2 didn’t indicate that the 76ers would formally protest the outcome of the game — just that they’d contact the league with their concerns about the officiating.
- Embiid and Mitchell Robinson got tangled up in Game 3, resulting in Embiid being issued a flagrant 1 foul. According to the pool report, crew chief Zach Zarba said there wasn’t excessive contact, and that’s why it didn’t rise to a flagrant 2 (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Fred Katz). “The crew was unanimous along with the replay center official in Secaucus that this foul was unnecessary but did not rise to the level of a flagrant 2,” Zarba said.
Knicks have a real problem on their hands right now with Embiid. Philly is gonna win this series. Knicks future is bright. Randle will be back. Knicks don’t have enough offense to offset Embiid.
I disagree, as a Sixers fan I was worried he would match up with the Knicks I wanted the Magic.
We only win if Embiid is getting the refs calls or Maxey has an insanely efficient game. Knicks more often than not play better defence, win the battle of the boards and the players themselves shown a lot more heart.
Mitchell Robinson now going down injured again will be a huge loss but Embiid has his own problems by the sounds of it.
Knicks are a full offensive weapon short. Josh Hart has been shooting out of his mind behind the arc. No answer to offset Embiid. Philly is prepared to let Embiid and Maxey take pretty much every shot. Knicks don’t have a defensive answer to that. Nobody to stop either one of those guys.
Dude it’s a moot point, Barry deemed it so. The 76ers will win this series. He told us Miami would win well before splitting at Boston and he told us The Magic would run Cleveland off the court in game three.
@chuckytoadboy – The Playoffs are about adjustments. If a team figures out a way to exploit a weakness, they will continue to do it until you find a way to adjust. New York doesn’t have a way to stop Embiid or Maxey, and no way to adjust. They can only hope they miss their shots. Boston has STILL not adjusted to all the space Miami creates on the floor against them, and they get wide open looks for their role guys. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus got paid fat $$$$ because the Celtics couldn’t guard them in Miami’s offense. Ask the Lakers and Cleveland how Vincent and Strus are working out for them in the Playoffs right now. If Boston cannot figure out a way to adjust, Miami will continue to exploit them. I haven’t said a word about Orlando and Cleveland. Both teams are hopelessly flawed, and are no real threat beyond the 1st round of the Playoffs. Very fortunate to see equally flawed Indiana, or flawed Milwaukee without Giannis. Boston/Miami and New York/Philly are playing for a spot in the ECF right now. Which will be the winner’s 2nd round battle.
Thanks for letting us know Barry.
Gee Knicks are up 2-1. What problem
East so weak..
Boston’s two top guys still hate playing with eachother, and horford’s too old to carry them again. Seems like the players all reluctantly conformed to Celtics’ system, and when it’s winning time no one feels comfy taking over.
Bucks organization had a combined iq of 100, until doc came and brought em down to double digits. Jrue understood how to win with dummies and they started collapsing when he was traded. Dame also has great mentality, and he rightfully never wanted to be dealt to a team that had to give up too much to get him. The East would’ve been much better with him in Boston.
No need to talk about the knicks and philly in terms of chips in the modern era.
Heat are the only team which I like how they play (in the East), as they somehow manage Himmy Jordan’s unique type of insanity. You can see how important it is for a team to have accountable players by what they’re doing to Boston’s toxic culture year after year.
When the expansion finally happens, they best send over a team that’s better than the lowly Pelicans.
Nuggets and Mavs gonna be the real finals this year. thanks for reading ya internet hobos
I have plenty of love for the Heat myself (especially the wizard Spo), but let’s not pretend the key to their last two series against the Celtics hasnt been extremely hot shooting from deep. Without that this wouldn’t been much of a story. Kudos to them, of course, and the Celtics clearly need to make a defensive adjustment to run them off the line; why they didn’t do that from the start of game 2 with no Butler around I have no idea
Combined IQ of 100? They’re the only team to have won a chip out of all you’re talking about. That’s not dumb luck.
If this 31ft will only be for home court games Knicks will pass, but if Mr Excuse gets this amount of ft for rest of series, Knicks don’t have chance at all.
Excuse are you an ahole?
Shove that onion.
Robinson and Embiid didn’t get “tangled up”. Embiid literally grabbed an unsuspecting player’s lower leg and yanked him to the ground out of frustration. Should’ve been a Flagrant 2, but we know star players get a pass in the playoffs.
Was going to post exactly the same. I’m a sixer fan but that was some lame draymond stuff by embiid.
Losing Mitch will hurt. I only care about gm4 win. Need the bench to score.
Game 4 will determine the series. After Embid and PHI’s tantrums over how Game 2 ended, the Refs were going to capitulate to them in Game 3. That’s Silver’s NBA. NYK would have had to play a perfect game last night to win.
Game 4 will hopefully be officiated more even handedly, but, in any event, it will likely be officiated as the rest of the series will be. So, if again in Game 4, Embid is given 21 FTs (more than the entire NYK team) while being called for only 3 personal fouls (2 of which were basically intentional non-basketball fouls on Mitch and IH), then the NYK should start planning their off season. Until then, I’ll remain optimistic.
Embiid gets free throws because he seeks contact more than the entire Knick team.
The problem with that is seeking (initiating) contact (beyond what’s incidental) is the definition of a foul, on the player initiating the contact. Not on those trying to guard him.
Embid did play very physical last night, and that might have resulted in so much reciprocal contact that it facilitated him getting calls. But the same physicality would almost always result in a guy also picking up fouls. Have you seen a lot of performances over the years where a 7’2″ 300 lb guy throws his body around for 40 minutes to the point of getting 21 FT attempts, and yet is only called for 1 (real) foul?
Oh I get what you’re saying. I just always find it interesting when someone talks about a free throw discrepancy if one team is only shooting jump shots and another goes to the post.
Agreed, in isolation, FT disparity alone is not evidence of anything. Teams have different playing styles that might account for it. On offense, as you say. But also on defense (some teams are more willing to foul as a last resort on defense than others).
But in this game the teams had very similar shot charts. PHI took slightly more 3’s (led by Maxey, 8, and Embid 7), and the NYK had a few more shots in the midrange and in the paint. It’s not like Embid is posting anyone. PHI had 15 more points from the FT line and won by 11. Also, the NYK play a defensive style that’s relatively foul averse. We’re very good at not fouling recklessly or in frustration. Do you who isn’t very good at it? Embid. So, it’s odd when the Bull in the China Shop gets fouled left and right, but somehow doesn’t foul anyone else. So I’m suggesting he had some help.
All the crying Embiid did. Sure helped …
Knicks shot – 19 FTs
Sixers shot – 33 FTs and Embiid shot 21 FTs. Two more than whole Knicks team.
Gm4 it’s the blue collar Knicks vs the crying Sixers……..
Poor AL is really messed up. He didn’t sleep last night.
Embiid also stubbed his toe on a pillow prior to tip off. It’s nothing serious, just another in a long line.