“I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing” said Joel Embiid, when giving an update on his absences around two weeks ago. The player’s trouble with his knee, and then later with a sinus fracture, caused him to be sidelined for a majority of the Philadelphia 76ers’ games this season. Fortunately, the player is back now. If the recent Christmas Day matchup between Embiid’s team and the Boston Celtics showed anything, it is that the franchise cannot afford to lose the veteran center for future games too. Unfortunately, from what the player himself recently highlighted, one should not be too hopeful about his upcoming presence.

During a post-game Q&A session, Joel Embiid touched base on how he got injured during the pre-game warmups. The incident occurred after the Cameroonian had accidentally stepped on a security guard. When asked if the incident had created any doubts about whether he would be able to play against the Celtics, Embiid added “No. It was okay. A little sore, but it’s Christmas. So, got to play on Christmas game”.

Through these remarks, Joel Embiid may have given mixed signals on his availability for the next game. By calling the injury “okay”, he may have indicated that it is not a sign of a long-term recovery process. However, stating that Embiid only chose to play the current game because “It’s Christmas” indicates that he may end up resting, for the upcoming regular season matchups, should the need arise.

This is a developing story.