Joel Embiid sets new NBA Playoffs high mark despite battling Bell’s palsy

When Joel Embiid made his long-awaited return, philadelphia 76ers After missing a third of the season to recover from surgery to repair a torn left meniscus, Sixers fans have endured for years now, with one injury to worry about as the team faces the Sixers in the NBA playoffs. I thought it was just that. new york knicks.

But while Embiid did look slightly less than his full self physically as he ramped up his conditioning, it was a mysterious eye and facial issue that caught the internet’s attention, so… That assumption was quickly proven wrong.

Updated: 10:51 PM ET — Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Embiid is playing through a case of Bell’s palsy, but didn’t want to reveal it publicly to avoid distractions.

according to mayo clinic, Bell’s palsy is a disease in which the muscles on one side of the face suddenly become weak. This weakness is often short-lived and improves within a few weeks. Half of his face appears to be drooping due to weakness. The smile is one-sided, and the affected eye has difficulty closing. ” Embiid appears to have been dealing with exactly that for more than a week.

as our own Erin Grougan is doing great for the Liberty Ballers., the issue started around the team’s play-in game against the Miami Heat and has become increasingly pronounced since then, culminating in Game 3’s performance against the Knicks, when the reigning MVP at times He looked visibly unable to blink. left eye:

But then things got weird, as the left side of Embiid’s mouth didn’t seem to move the same way as the right side.

Embiid too I have spent my past media appearances looking down on myself.…potentially preventing the camera from seeing better up close. On Thursday, he told reporters (including our own Paul Hadrick) that the issueAnnoying“…It feels like this to say the least.”

But as horrifying as it is, it’s hard to imagine even in all seriousness. I’m watching Embiid has to deal with such issues while playing basketball, let alone playing in the NBA. Embiid didn’t let this issue stop him from having what could be the best playoff game of his career.

rear Guarantee the Sixers to win the series Following their heartbreak (and controversial) Game 2 collapsed at Madison Square Garden, but Embiid at least tried not to lose in Game 3 and dominated the Knicks. Team’s 125-114 win earns 50 points..

He was cooking with post-ups, but once the jumper started going, New York was over.

Embiid went 13-19 from the field, 19-21 from the free-throw line, had eight rebounds, four assists, and one block, and his 50 points were his career-high in the playoffs and the 2024 postseason. This is not only the highest score ever scored against the Knicks in a postseason game since Michael Jordan. Frankly, the fact that he was able to do it while facing horrific health issues is even more incredible.

It remains to be seen whether the Sixers will overcome their many disadvantages in this series and ultimately win, but it will be interesting to see if the Knicks will not just lose but thrive at a career-best playoff level. Against a great defense. If this is Bell’s palsy, a previously known knee problem, no one would argue that Embiid is literally not doing everything he can to give the Sixers a chance to advance.

And now that we (allegedly) know what’s going on, we hope Big Fella feels better soon. As Thursday showed, the postseason is better when he’s cooking.