76ers Star Joel Embiid Suffers Sinus Fracture in Loss to Pacers

Things just went from bad to worse for the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid, less than two full games after returning from an absence due to lingering left knee issues, will now likely miss even more time. He suffered a sinus fracture in the Sixers’ loss to the Pacers on Friday night and will be further evaluated in the coming days, according to a statement released by the team.

Joel Embiid suffered a sinus fracture in tonight’s game. He will be further evaluated this weekend and his status will be updated as appropriate.

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) December 14, 2024

Things were looking up for the Sixers prior to Embiid’s latest injury. The Sixers’ star trio were finally all healthy and available. Heading into the loss to the Pacers, the Sixers had won four of their last five games. However, all of the positive vibes went up in smoke late in the first half against Indiana.

Embiid went up for a defensive rebound and was hit in the face by Pacers’ forward Benedict Mathurin. He went down on the floor in immediate pain before ultimately going to the locker room. After not coming out to begin the second half, the Sixers soon ruled him out for the remainder of the contest.

Joel Embiid got up and walked to the locker room with a few seconds left to play in the first half, was hit in the face by the arm of Bennedict Mathurin here. pic.twitter.com/2gLajNwgny

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) December 14, 2024

After undergoing further testing, it was announced Embiid had suffered a sinus fracture. The Sixers’ star center has a history of facial injuries. He suffered an orbital bone fracture twice earlier in his career, most recently in the 2022 playoffs against the Toronto Raptors.

This latest injury for Embiid has to be demoralizing. He just returned from a lengthy absence due to issues with his left knee. The loss to the Pacers was just Embiid’s sixth game played this season. The Sixers, currently sitting at 7-16 this season, will find it tough to recover from their early struggles if Embiid ends up missing extended time with this newest injury.