MVP repeat bid in jeopardy as 76ers star Joel Embiid to undergo knee surgery

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will undergo surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his left knee, the team announced on Sunday, February 4 (Monday, February 5, Manila time).

There was no immediate timetable per how long Embiid will be sidelined but it isn’t expected to be a season-ending injury. The 76ers said they would provide an update after the procedure.

Embiid has been having issues with his left knee in recent weeks and missed games against the Denver Nuggets on January 27 and Portland Trail Blazers on January 29 due to soreness.

He returned to the floor on January 30 at the Golden State Warriors. He had 14 points and 7 rebounds in almost 30 minutes, but he went back to the locker room with 4:04 left in the game after Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga landed on his knee during a loose ball scrum.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters that the injury had nothing to do with the left knee soreness that kept Embiid out of the previous two games. On Thursday, the team was fined $75,000 for not including Embiid on the injury report in “an accurate and timely manner” before the Denver game.

Embiid, 29, is the reigning NBA MVP and also is on pace to lead the league in scoring for the third straight season. He was averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks but played in just 34 of Philadelphia’s 48 games while dealing with injuries.

As part of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, players must play a minimum of 65 regular season games in order to be eligible for certain awards, including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and the All-NBA teams. – Rappler.com