2 min read • April 30, 2022
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid suffered a right orbital fracture and a concussion in Game 6 against the Raptors and is expected to listed as out with no timetable for return, according to Shams Charania.
Our panel of Pro Basketball Docs – featuring decades of NBA medical experience – believe Embiid is heading for surgery on the orbital fracture with a recovery timeline of 2-3 weeks.
Game 6 on May 12 and Game 7 on May 15 could be realistic targets for Embiid to return and play with a mask.
At this point, there's no way to tell how severe the injury is. If it is on the milder side and he can avoid surgery, there is still no guarantee he returns by the end of the series. The mask is protective, but not 100% and one wrong hit could cause him to require surgery anyway.
Most orbital fractures require surgery, according to the Pro Basketball Docs, including Dr. John Hefferon and Dr. Walt Lowe.
The surgery is done if the base of the orbital bone is not smooth, resulting in eye tracking issues/double vision.
Embiid did a television interview after the Game 6 win and his eye looked almost completely shut.
Embiid suffered the injury on a Pascal Siakam elbow late in the 35-point win.
The 28-year-old also suffered a left orbital fracture in March 2018, returning at the 3-week mark after surgery. He finished the rest of the regular season and playoffs with a mask, as he will if he returns for this playoffs.
He had a small fracture under his left eye while at Kansas.
Embiid is also recovering from a torn UCL in his right thumb. That will not fully heal until the offseason.
He could have surgery on his thumb when he undergoes the orbital fracture surgery, but would still need to play with Spica tape securing the thumb.
The 76ers are +8 in Game 1 against the Heat and currently +380 to win the series, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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