And now the Sixers wait.
Wait for the results of additional testing.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Wait to learn when their centerpiece will be able to return to the court.
Wait to determine how they will approach the remainder of the regular season and gear up for the playoffs.
Joel Embiid suffered a facial contusion early in the second quarter Wednesday of the Sixers’ 118-101 win over the Knicks when he collided with Markelle Fultz on a handoff attempt (see observations). Embiid spun around after contact and hit the court grabbing his face.
“I was trying to get the ball,” Fultz said. “At the same time, I was watching him. My heart dropped really because I know he hit me. But he’s a tough guy and I know he’s going to be OK. All I can do is pray for him.”
NBA
After Embiid left the floor, he went through the concussion protocol, which ruled out a concussion. He went to a local hospital following the game to undergo precautionary concussion testing. Once those results are in, the team will be able to begin to determine a timeframe.
That update could come Thursday or Friday.
Embiid posted a slightly worrisome Instagram story late Wednesday night from a hospital bed with the words "Not Good."
“Whatever the collision was, it didn’t sound good,” JJ Redick said. “That was scary.”
In the meantime, the Sixers had to adjust with only two available centers. Amir Johnson also was sidelined by gastroenteritis. Richaun Holmes and Ersan Ilyasova filled the void, the pairing of centers that could be utilized moving forward depending on the timetables for Embiid and Johnson.
“We played Ersan more at a five than we normally do,” Brett Brown said. “You do it by committee, you do it by a team, and you buy some time until somebody says that Joel can return to play.”
The Sixers, as a team, stepped up in Embiid’s absence. Notably, Dario Saric led them with a 26-point, 14-rebound double-double. Ben Simmons neared a triple-double, which is becoming the norm, with 13 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Holmes came off the bench with 15 points and seven boards. Double-digit stats stretched across the scoreboard.
“Maybe I had a little bit more space in that case,” Saric said. “Maybe I took a little more responsibility when Joel [left]. Obviously, I think all players share a little bit responsibility.”
The Sixers kick off a two-game road trip by traveling to Atlanta Thursday. It remains to be seen if Embiid will join them. They have eight games left in the regular season, eight opportunities to chase home-court advantage. There's no one on the Sixers who thrives off the home crowd more than Embiid, and the rest of the team will have to do so if he's unable to play for an extended period of time.
“Obviously, he’s our horse, he’s our guy. We need him out there," Redick said. "Whatever it takes for him to get back out on the court, we’ll be ready for him.”