Joel Embiid left the Philadelphia 76ers’ 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers just before halftime Friday night after being hit in the face while looking for a defensive rebound.
Embiid was struggling against Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin when he took a forearm and elbow to the face. Embiid slumped to the floor as play continued to pick up on the court and remained near Philadelphia’s bench, holding his face.
The team ruled him out early in the second half for ‘impact to the right side of the face’.
Speaking after the loss, 76ers coach Nick Nurse said Embiid was still undergoing tests to determine if he suffered facial fractures.
Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 and a half minutes before leaving.
He was playing only his sixth game in 23 for Philadelphia. He was bothered by swelling in his left knee and also served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter.
Embiid has had several facial injuries, including a fractured orbital bone after a collision with Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs against the Toronto Raptors and one in 2018 after a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last season, Embiid revealed he had Bell’s palsy during a first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks.
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