News

Derek Bodner, writing on his own website and continuing to prove what a crime it is that Keith Pompey covers the Sixers for the Inquirer while Derek toils away in relative obscurity:

Joel Embiid has a torn meniscus in his left knee, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

The tear was discovered after Embiid underwent an MRI following a 93-92 victory on January 20th over the Portland Trailblazers. Embiid left the game in the third quarter with a left knee contusion after landing awkwardly following a drive to the basket.

There is some thought that the torn meniscus could be a pre-existing condition which an ensuing MRI discovered, rather than caused by the fall on January 20th, although the two injuries being related has not been completely ruled out.

The tear is a low-grade tear and is not expected to require surgical intervention. It is unclear whether the tear is contributing to the soreness and swelling which has kept Embiid out of 11 of the last 12 games, including the last 8 in a row.

Woof. NOT GREAT! Not particularly surprising, either. This is what happened to Embiid’s knee when he injured it:

I was skeptical from the beginning that was a “bone bruise.” Sure, you can get one from a twist, but typically they come from direct impact to the bone. Embiid’s knee bent awkwardly here. It simply looked worse than a bruise. Still, as Bodner reports, it’s possible the tear in his meniscus had been there all along.

Commenter Trish

I’ve got to hand it to reader Trish– they’ve been commenting that this was worse than a bone bruise since a day or two after the injury. Here’s one of them:

Why is everyone acting surprised on this site.

I told you guys last Saturday the MRI showed more than a knee contusion and it would take a week or two of rest.

The 76ers decided to have Embid play earlier because of it being a National TV game and their desire for Joel to make the All Star game.

Now we are going to pay the price because he shouldn’t have played against the Rockets.

Also how long are our lame media going to call it a knee contusion. If it had just been a knee contusion he would be playing. How are they so dumb not to have figured this out? Stop buying the 76ers statements and do a little fact checking!

Credit where it’s due.

Colangelo, facing the music

Here’s what Bryan Colangelo had to say to the media tonight. I guess the meniscus tear is what he was referring to yesterday when he cited HIPAA privacy concerns as a reason why he couldn’t say more about Embiid’s injury:

“On the MRI that was conducted shortly after the injury vs. Portland, the MRI revealed obviously what we thought it to be — a bone bruise,” Colangelo said before the Sixers’ game against Miami on Saturday.

“There was also the recognition that there was a very minor meniscal tear. But it was not thought to be acute and it was not thought to be the source of the pain, inflammation or symptoms. That is the case.”

“The bone bruise treatment and progression toward getting back to play is simply a pattern of loading and recovery and training that ultimately results in him being asymptomatic,” Colangelo said. “Once he is asymptomatic, he’ll be back on the court.”

Can the Sixers do anything without seeming nefarious? Seriously. Any other team and maybe you’d give them the benefit of the doubt here. But not the Sixers. This reeks of KEEP SELLING TICKETS. The fans? We deserve a great team after all of this. The organization itself? It’s like they’re in search of the greatest karma backwash of all time. Stop being so damn secretive– that shit doesn’t fly here.

Colangelo was also asked about Embiid dancing at the Meek Mill concert:

What a weak fucking comment. Embiid practiced today. He was obviously cleared for… movement. Nothing he did at the concert remotely put his knee in further peril. If you’re going to stand by your player, stand by your fucking player, even if morons think it didn’t look good.

Takes

OH GOD HERE THEY COME. This news is like pouring gasoline on the idiot fire. Never mind that these simpletons didn’t know Embiid had a meniscus tear when they excreted their bloviatory puffs, they’ll ignore the simple logic that says if Embiid was cleared to practice today, then he was certainly able to do the light walking and arm flailing he did around the stage for a few minutes last night. I laughed out loud at this Tweet:

But none of this will stop the gasbaggery. Eskin et al. have new life. The fumes are already emanating. I’d get a gas mask. Trust the process.