Sixers star Joel Embiid to miss Game 4 against the Nets with a sprained right knee

NEW YORK — Joel Embiid has a sprained right knee and will miss Game 4 versus the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday at the Barclays Center, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer.

The 76ers center suffered the injury in Thursday’s 102-97 Game 3 victory. He possibly suffered the injury when Nets guard Cam Johnson collided with Embiid’s knee underneath the basket in the third quarter. The six-time All-Star was in noticeable pain and limped up the court. However, he remained in the game, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.

An MRI on Friday in Philadelphia revealed the sprain. The Sixers are optimistic Embiid could be ready to return as early as next week.

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The Sixers have a commanding 3-0 series lead and will attempt to close out the best-of-seven series with a victory Saturday. If they win the series against the Nets, they would face either the Boston Celtics or Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics have a 2-1 series advantage after Friday’s 130-122 loss to the Hawks in Game 3 in Atlanta. With Boston’s loss, they could face the Sixers as early as April 29.

ESPN first confirmed that Embiid will miss Saturday’s game.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, this isn’t the first time Embiid has dealt with an injury in an opening-round series.

Last season versus the Toronto Raptors, Embiid suffered a right orbital fracture and a mild concussion during the series-clinching Game 6 victory in Toronto. That injury occurred when the Raptors’ Pascal Siakam inadvertently elbowed Embiid in the face while driving to the basket late in the fourth quarter.

Embiid already was playing through a torn ligament in his right thumb that occurred in Game 3 of the Raptors series.

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But the orbital bone fracture and concussion sidelined him in games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat.

Then in 2021, the Sixers had a 3-0 series lead over the Washington Wizards in their opening round. In Game 4, Embiid suffered a game-ending small lateral meniscus tear in the first quarter of the Sixers’ 122-114 loss. The injury occurred when he took a hard fall on his backside after Robin Lopez blocked his driving layup with 4 minutes, 43 seconds left in the first quarter.

He also missed the final 10 games of the 2017-18 regular season and first two games of first-round series against the Miami Heat after suffering a fractured orbital bone in his left eye. Upon his return, Embiid wore a protective mask on his face.