Joel Embiid injured his knee in the second quarter of the New York Knicks’ 111-104 Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, changing the complexion of their first-round series.
Embiid went down and hobbled on his left knee after throwing an alley-oop off the backboard and finishing a dunk with 2:49 left in the second quarter. The oft-injured center is now dealing with his second injury of the year after missing two months of the regular season with a meniscus injury on the same knee.
How much is the series affected by the reigning NBA MVP’s knee ailment?
Embiid was able to return to the field after being taken to the locker room. This is a plus for Philadelphia and nothing to shake your head at, as injuries are never wanted for any player. Furthermore, the Cameroonian center managed to score 11 of his 29 points in the second half, missing just over three minutes of action.
New York’s front line was busy with Embiid in the first half. He made his first three baskets including two and one and went 6-11 before falling. In the second half he went 2-11 despite remaining aggressive and suffering fouls. All in all, the injury has proven to wear him down a bit and impact his efficiency.