Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid underwent surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee, the team said Tuesday. He’ll be reevaluated in four weeks.
After announcing on Sunday that Embiid would undergo an unspecified knee treatment, the franchise did not specify how much time Embiid would be out. The 76ers are on a three-game homestand this week, beginning Monday against Dallas (whom they lost 118-102).
The 76ers are 4-11 this season without Embiid.
Embiid injured his left knee in a Tuesday night loss to the Golden State Warriors. He had an MRI, which indicated the injury.
Embiid has already missed 15 games this season, and his four-week absence effectively kills his chances of winning a second consecutive MVP award. To be eligible for awards such as MVP or All-NBA teams, players must typically play in 65 regular-season games under the new collective bargaining agreement.
When healthy, Embiid has consistently performed at the MVP level. He leads the NBA in scoring (35.3 points per game) and averages 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. On January 22, he set a franchise record with 70 points and 18 rebounds in a 133-124 win over San Antonio.
“We had some shaky performances,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse admitted last week. “Then we sort of got into a groove and had some good ones. We had a lot of good road wins without him. We realized we needed to be able to survive without him.
The 76ers are 30-18 and seventh in the Eastern Conference with two games remaining before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Last month, Embiid indicated he was unconcerned about another MVP. He only wanted to assist the 76ers win their first NBA title since 1983.
“I’ve already done it,” Embiid explained. “If I can get a second one, I’ll take it. I am not going to force myself or push for it. My game will always speak for itself. We are winning. “The main goal is to continue winning, and putting in the necessary stats to be considered for MVP is also beneficial.” But, at the end of the day, if something comes up and I can’t satisfy the threshold for the number of games played to qualify, so be it.”
Embiid leads the NBA with three 50-point performances this season, and his nine 40-point games are also league high.
