Sixers’ Joel Embiid suffers lateral meniscus injury in left knee

Philadelphia 76ers superstarcenter Joel Embiid has suffered a lateral meniscus injury in hisleft knee, the team announced on Thursday evening.

Embiid, the league’s reigningMVP, suffered the injury during the Sixers' loss against the GoldenState Warriors. Embiid will be out through the weekend while atreatment plan is finalized, the team announced.

The Sixers' medical staff,several specialists and Embiid have yet to come up with a plan forhow to treat his injured meniscus.Embiid and the Sixers will likely take timeover the next several days to determine whether his knee needssurgery.

Meniscus tears can usually betreated without surgeries, and individuals recover in roughlysix-to-eight weeks. If Embiid needs surgery, he might be sidelinedlonger.

Philadelphia currently has thefifth-best record in a tight Eastern Conference. This is a hugeblow to the Sixers, considering they’ve gone 3-9 in games withoutEmbiid.

Embiid’s injury dashes his hopesof a second-straight MVP award, as he likely won't be eligible due to the NBA'snew 65-game rule. The 7-foot center was the MVP frontrunnerprior to this injury, averaging 36 points, 11 rebounds and 6assists.

Embiid will likely need to bereplaced in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis (his seventhAll-Star appearance). Also, this creates some doubt over whetherhe'll be able to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics inJuly.