Joel Embiid’s absence from the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against the Denver Nuggets has caused quite a stir. Fans were disappointed to see the reigning MVP miss out on a matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. However, it wasn’t just the fans who were paying attention – the NBA was also keeping a close eye on the situation.
According to Shams Charania, the league has fined the 76ers $75,000 for violating injury reporting rules regarding Embiid’s absence from the game against the Nuggets. Despite this violation, there was no violation of the player participation policy since Embiid’s injury was confirmed.
Embiid has had a tough week dealing with injuries. He missed two games, including the one against the Nuggets, and the following game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Although he rejoined the team for their matchup against the Golden State Warriors, he suffered another injury during that game. As a result, he will be out for their upcoming game against the Utah Jazz.
The 76ers’ losing streak has now reached four games. While there was no violation of the player participation policy, the team failed to meet the NBA’s standards, resulting in the $75,000 fine. However, the bigger concern for the 76ers is Embiid’s struggle to stay healthy, which is now impacting the team’s performance. With a 29-17 record, they have fallen to the fifth seed in the East. Their next games will be against the Jazz, followed by the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors once again.