Center Joel Embiid exited the Philadelphia 76ers’ 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers early after he was struck in the face.
Embiid was diagnosed with a sinus fracture postgame, he will be further evaluated this weekend, and his status will be updated as appropriate, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
He suffered the injury late in the second quarter Friday when Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin hit the right side of Embiid’s face while leaping for a rebound. The former MVP left the game and did not return after halftime.
Embiid returned to the Sixers’ lineup Sunday after missing seven games with swelling in his left knee, which was surgically repaired in February because of a torn meniscus.
He was also sidelined for the first nine games of the season while recovering from recurring swelling in his left knee and serving a three-game suspension for pushing a member of the media.
The 7-footer had 12 points, four rebounds, and five assists when he left Friday’s contest. Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 22 points for the Sixers and Kelly Oubre Jr. put up his third consecutive double-double (12 points and 13 rebounds).
The Pacers were led by Tyrese Haliburton who contributed a game-high 32 points and 11 assists, while Pascal Siakam had 23 points, and Obi Toppin dropped 20 off the bench.
This was just the third time this campaign that the Sixers’ new Big Three of Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George took the court together.
Embiid was averaging 22 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 40.7% shooting through his first five games of the campaign.
Philadelphia recently began to turn things around by winning four of its past five games prior to Friday’s loss. The 76ers now sit at 7-16.
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