Embiid out indefinitely with orbital fracture, mild concussion
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is out indefinitely after sustaining a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in Thursday's Game 6 victory over the Toronto Raptors, the team announced Friday, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
Embiid appeared to sustain the injury late in the fourth quarter on an inadvertent elbow from Raptors forward Pascal Siakam and didn't return for the remainder of Thursday's contest.
Specialists evaluated Embiid on Friday, and there's no indication that he'll require surgery, sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. However, the 28-year-old will miss at least five days due to the concussion, Shelburne adds.
The All-Star big man was already playing through a thumb injury, and he hoped to delay a potential surgery until the offseason. Embiid, an MVP finalist this season, had a strong first-round series against Toronto. He averaged 26.2 points, 11.3 boards, and 2.3 assists over six appearances.
Philadelphia is relatively thin at the center position. Second-year big man Paul Reed will likely see extended minutes, while veterans DeAndre Jordan and Paul Millsap played a combined one second during the opening round.
The 76ers' Eastern Conference semifinal series versus the Miami Heat begins Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET in South Beach.