PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid has a sprained left foot and will miss at least the next two games, joining teammates James Harden and Tyrese Maxey as Philadelphia 76ers stars sidelined by injuries.
The trio will miss the expected return of former Sixers guard Ben Simmons when Brooklyn plays Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Embiid, the reigning NBA scoring champion, also will miss Wednesday’s game in Charlotte.
The Sixers said Monday that Embiid’s status beyond those absences will be evaluated “in the coming days.”
Embiid was injured late in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota when he tripped over fallen teammate Georges Niang and crumbled to the court. Embiid lay on his back as he was checked out by a trainer. He hobbled to the bench but stayed in the game.
Embiid limped through the rest of the game but had 32 points and nine rebounds and made 18 of 20 free throws.
“Hopefully, somehow it feels better, but we’ll see,” Embiid said afterward.
The Sixers have scuffled this season amid all the absences and are just 8-8. Harden hoped to return early next month and Maxey could miss at least a month with their foot injuries.
Embiid scored a career-high 59 points and added 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocked shots in a win last week against Utah. Embiid scored 26 of Philadelphia’s 27 points in the fourth quarter and became the first player in NBA history with 50 points, 10 boards, five rebounds, five assists and five blocks in a game since blocks became an official stat in 1973-74.
Embiid scored the fifth-most points in franchise history. Wilt Chamberlain holds the top three spots with 68 in 1967, 65 in 1966 and 62 in 1966. Allen Iverson scored 60 in 2005.
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