Broken and Bruised by Multiple Health Concerns, Joel Embiid Can’t ‘Feel Sorry’ for Himself

Post-game saw a broken Joel Embiid addressing the reporters. The Philadelphia 76ers were fighting like their lives depended on it against an equally strong foe. Every time the New York Knicks came close to ending the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey or Embiid would break out on a mad run. Even with them carrying the team over the edge, the two victories they claimed wouldn’t have happened without the supporting cast.

The playoffs weren’t easy. Known for Embiid’s penchant for selling fouls, he was mocked by Knicks fans and called out by analysts and basketball pundits. And as the Knicks took the lead, the 7-foot center had no qualms, turning into an intimidating beast. So much so that in Game 3, he engaged in a very questionable foul play with Mitchell Robinson. And he barely showed any regret after. Yet, the man who sat in front of the press tonight had just a shell of the confidence he carried until their final loss.

John Clarke of the NBCS Philly posted on X the reigning MVP’s message. “I can’t feel sorry for myself. Even if I can’t jump or my body is not responding the way it should be, I feel my presence is enough. Even if I can’t move the way I want to. I just like to play. I could’ve taken more time to heal, but I just didn’t want to give that up.”

“I wanted to be on this stage and be a part of it. I did not want to let him (Tyrese Maxey) and the entire team down. I’ve always played through stuff. It’s not an excuse.” Embiid’s words described the battle raging inside him. We all know how true that is!

From missing two years to make his NBA debut to somewhat mildly serious injuries (even that caused him to miss significant time), Joel Embiid was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy in the latest updates. The 2x scoring champion had been keeping his condition under wraps to avoid it from distracting his team. They had more than enough to worry about, including his surgically repaired knee.

But when it became obvious to even casual observers, Embiid confessed that he had been diagnosed about two or so days before the play-in vs the Heat. The Kansas product also informed that he had been suffering from migraines. Despite it all, despite playing just 39 games in the regular season, the 2x scoring champion had some of the best numbers of his career this season.

Joel Embiid has been nothing short of remarkable

Having clinched the MVP award last year, Embiid had hoped to see a repeat of it this time, too. And he was making his case for the same very well, too. But injuries did not leave the Cameroonian big man alone. Prior to the major injury of the season on January 30, the 7x All-Star averaged 36.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 33 games.

After his return, Embiid played in six more regular season games and he continued the brilliant performance still. Of course, he didn’t score 36 or even 30 points per game immediately following his return. But his stats on average was 27.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists. For someone who has been sidelined for two months, this was definitely promising.

In fact, even as Philly’s time ended, Joel Embiid made his mark in the postseason. He ranks second in the playoffs points per game list. Scoring 33.0 points on average every game, he is behind Jalen Brunson’s 35.5 points. There is no doubt that had he stayed healthy, Joel Embiid would have achieved quite a number of milestones on his resume.