Joel Embiid made his highly-anticipated return Tuesday night. With the Philadelphia 76ers in a fight for the playoffs, their superstar’s return is a much-needed boost for the Philly side.
However, given the extent of Embiid’s injury, the recovery seemed quicker than usual. With a lack of rehab for the former MVP, there are doubts about his long-term well-being. Being a pro himself, Draymond Green gave his take regarding the grand return.
Draymond Green talks on Joel Embiid’s early NBA return
Joel Embiid came back stronger against the OKC after missing 29 games in a row. While most of the hoop enthusiasts were amazed by his performance on the hardwood after weeks, the Warriors’ defensive expert, Draymond Green claimed to be in shock.
Like many other topics, the ever-vocal Green discussed Embiid’s return on Wednesday’s episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” Acknowledging the Cameroonian star’s love for the sport, Green expressed his deep concern over his fitness.
Dray eventually admitted being shocked to see Embiid return at a point where he thinks that the Sixers’ squad can “compete at the high level” in the play-in tournament. Green further said that the Philadelphia franchise is taking a risk by adding the 7-footer so early in their roster, which could injure him again.
While the franchise enjoyed a 27-8 record with their star player leading the team, they suffered a 14-27 blow when the 7-time All-Star was sidelined for his long-term injury.
What injury did Joel Embiid suffer?
Early this year, the Sixers excluded Joel Embiid from their roster against the Denver Nuggets because of his sore left knee. The center appeared in their next clash against the Golden State Warriors on the last date of January, only to worsen his condition.
The big man was spotted limping most of the time on the hardwood because of his pre-existing injury, but when the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga fell on his knee, Embiid had to leave the court due to unbearable pain. After reviewing his left knee, it was discovered that the meniscus tore, which had to be fixed with surgery.
BREAKING: 76ers star Joel Embiid — the reigning MVP — will undergo a procedure this week to repair a left meniscus injury, a team official tells ESPN. A recovery timeline is expected after procedure, but expectation is that he will miss an extended period of time. pic.twitter.com/9c3ZqM7iT2
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2024
The injury took a toll on Embiid’s mental health, and he badly longed to get back in the league. Following a nine-week-long break, the 30-year-old returned with thunder against the 3rd-seeded Western team. Embiid bagged 24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in the game while shooting at 42.9% from the field.
With their star’s return, the Sixers can finally breathe a sigh of relief and buckle up for their upcoming game against Jimmy Butler’s Miami Heat, who are vying to secure their play-off spot.
