The NBA remains without its MVP candidate: the Joel Embiid operation that keeps the Philadelphia 76ers in suspense

In the midst of a context that alarms the main figures of the NBA after his participation in the fight for MVP is in danger, forced to play at least 65 games out of 82 in the regular season if he wants to reach it, the new rule has left the best candidate for the award a victim. It is that of Cameroon Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers duty go through the operating room due to a serious injury that will keep him away from the fields and the possibility of repeating the award.

The Sixers received some of the worst news possible: their star star suffered a loss injury to the lateral meniscus of the left knee and recovery will require you”a long period of time“, without estimating a return date, as confirmed by NBA specialists.

Given the importance that Embiid represents in his team, the franchise’s medical staff looked for a way for the player to undergo surgery once the season ended. However, it was felt that the best solution would be to start this week with an effective recovery.

The serious injury suffered by the Cameroonian, 213 centimeters tall, occurred last Wednesday, in Philadelphia’s defeat against Warriors of the Golden State from 119 to 107. During the last quarter, Jontahan Kuminga, in an attempt to maintain possession of the ball, fell with all his body weight on Embiid’s knee. The player immediately asked for medical assistance and raised the alarm among the fans.

After receiving the MVP award last season, all signs indicated that Embiid would repeat the personal title in the current campaign. However, although there is a minimal chance that the 76ers will have him back for the month of April, when the final phase of the regular season will be played, in the next few days will be automatically disqualified from the competition for the award ceremony.

Based on the new NBA collective bargaining agreement, it has been decided that anyone who wishes to be considered for the MVP, You can only miss a maximum of 17 games during the season.

Thus, due to a certain muscle discomfort that has afflicted him since the start of the championship, Embiid was absent in 12 games of the 37 played until the time of the injury. Consequentially, It is inevitable that the championship star witnesses more than five of his team’s duels from the stands and exceed the maximum number of absences allowed during the recovery phase.

Beyond the importance that the injury represents for Embiid himself, who also It creates headaches for the Sixers and their fans. The fact is that the team is not going through the best time to face the rest of the season without him: they are in fifth place in the Eastern Conferencewith a history of 30-18and its performance drops significantly without the presence of its pivot.

He demonstrated this last weekend, in the first game after Embiid’s injury: a home defeat against the Nets 136 to 121.

Adding the NBA Cup games, of the 33 games in which the center was present, 26 ended in victory for Philadelphia. While In the 13 in which he did not participate, the 76ers won only three times.

Despite not having participated in several games, the hierarchical difference that the Cameroonian giant brought to his team is reflected in the statistics: during the season he averaged 36 points and 56.5% effective shooting, along with 11.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Even just a couple of weeks ago he managed to score no less than 70 points in the same game.

In this way, if the Sixers aspire to qualify for the play-offs, they will have to find a way to turn the page on their star player’s injury and find once and for all the formula that will allow them to improve their performance in his absence. the court. .

“I try to be the best in the league“, Embiid said before his injury. Now, given his imminent loss of the award that positioned him as the best candidate, other players are the ones who are starting to get excited about giving the award blow into the MVP. At the same time, they will try to miss as few games as possible so as not to suffer the same fate as the Philadelphia pivot.