Not again! Joel Embiid’s health has turned into one of the league’s biggest mysteries. It was only last week that he returned from a seven-game hiatus due to his lingering knee issues. And he was even able to lead his team to victory against the Bulls. However, that momentum did not last long because the former MVP suffered another unfortunate injury during tonight’s Pacers’ clash.

During the closing seconds of the first half, Tyrese Haliburton missed a running floater. Ready to grab the rebound, Embiid was standing right under the basket. But a soaring Bennedict Mathurin, who was attempting a putback, accidentally hit Joel in the face with his left arm during the landing. Down went Embiid, holding his face in agony.

With their superstar in visible pain, the play was stopped and the Sixers’ staff rushed to check on him. The sight turned even scarier when the trainers covered Joel’s face with a towel and began assessing his eye. Sure enough, he left the floor and headed straight to the locker room soon after.

Even when the second half began, Embiid was nowhere to be seen. It was later reported that he would remain out for the rest of the game and would undergo further testing. And his night ended early, with 12 points and five assists. Obviously, the Sixers could not regroup after their superstar left, and they got blown out by the Pacers in another embarrassing loss. But what’s even more concerning is that Joel’s injury, if serious, could cause him to miss more time.

Joel Embiid’s new injury could add to his “Extremely Depressing” season

Well, it is yet to be revealed how bad Joel’s injury is and when he will be able to return to action. But him missing the entire second half tonight is not a great sign. It was only a few days ago that he revealed his mental struggles while dealing with knee issues, “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game.” And just when it looked like he was finally back for good, he was down with a new injury.

Moreover, this has put the Sixers in an even bigger hole, as they have now lost sixteen games and are nowhere close to making the playoffs, let alone contend for the title. Well, Sixers fans would hope that his injury is not serious as they cannot afford to lose their former MVP for more games amid their ongoing struggles.

Latest: Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with sinus fracture; to be evaluated this weekend.