The Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid continues to face challenges as he deals with a lingering left knee issue. After missing all preseason games, Embiid was unable to participate in the 76ers’ season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks and is set to miss the next two games as well.
The situation became more contentious when Embiid made headlines by announcing that he no longer intends to play in back-to-back games this season. His comments drew criticism from former NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley during Tuesday night’s edition of TNT’s Inside the NBA. The two legends voiced their opinions, questioning Embiid’s commitment to the game.
Meanwhile, popular sports analyst Stephen A. Smith did not hold back in his defense of Embiid. On First Take, he reacted strongly to Barkley and Shaq’s remarks.
“I can’t believe what came out of their mouth. Joel Embiid has missed 329 games in his career. Foot, knee, health protocols, back, hand, face, ankle, shoulder, calf, hip, elbow, rib! Is there a part of the body that I missed? This dude has been hurt over every imaginable injury that you can find on the human body,” Smith said.
Nick Nurse Addresses Joel Embiid’s Health Issues
Before the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, head coach Nick Nurse took a moment to defend Joel Embiid. Nurse emphasized that Embiid had not re-injured his knee and described the decision regarding his playing time as a collective effort among the team’s staff.
“(The decision) is really a collective effort. I think if you want to point fingers at any one particular person, that’s not going to happen. Our medical is first and foremost. Joel is there, our front office, myself—everybody’s weighing in to make what we hope is a better plan than it’s been,” Nurse said.
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Embiid, who underwent surgery on his left knee in February for a meniscus injury, returned to action in April. However, his performance during the playoffs raised concerns as he struggled with his mobility and even missed two playoff games due to the injury.
