Fans Question Doc Rivers Leaving Joel Embiid in 76ers Game He Was Injured vs. Raptors

Erin WalshApril 30, 2022

TORONTO, ON- APRIL 28 - Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) as the Toronto Raptors fall the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 and lose their first round NBA playoff series 4-2 in Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. April 28, 2022. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out indefinitely after suffering a mild concussion and right orbital fracture during Game 6 of the team's first-round series against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, and now fans are questioning why head coach Doc Rivers allowed the veteran to finish the game.

Embiid appeared to the suffer the injuries on an inadvertent elbow from Raptors veteran Pascal Siakam with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Sixers were up 119-90 at the time he suffered the injury, and some believe Rivers shouldn't have even had Embiid in the game at that point.

Tio AL Loves His Mets @1InfamousTioAL
Why was <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoelEmbiid</a> in up 90 on the 4th? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBATwitterLive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBATwitterLive</a> This sucks for him tough break

Marcus Smart IS DPOY @garbear1313
Doc Rivers was so scared of choking that he left his best player in to get injured😭 <a href="https://t.co/rvypEOzqEd">https://t.co/rvypEOzqEd</a>

Evan Leonard @EvanLeonard410
Doc Rivers should be fired immediately. Up 29 with 4 minutes to go and Embiid and Harden are still on the floor. Completely inexcusable.

Heady Murphy @lilhelbling2
I don’t get why Joel was even in the game here it’s stupid as hell anyway, doc rivers just doesn’t think sometimes man <a href="https://t.co/WOEotc3tyh">https://t.co/WOEotc3tyh</a>

B S O L Z @BSOLZ_
Why tf was Embiid in the game with a 30 point lead like this????<br><br>Doc Rivers is horrible <a href="https://t.co/MVzdq7nyRz">https://t.co/MVzdq7nyRz</a>

Rick Westhead @rwesthead
How many different ways over the coming days will Doc Rivers be asked why Embiid was still on the court with Philly up 30 with five mins to play? <a href="https://t.co/4PslWzpGv1">https://t.co/4PslWzpGv1</a>

Smitty @SmittyBarstool
AND IT HAPPENED IN GARBAGE TIME UP 29 POINTS WITH 4 MINUTES LEFT GODDAMMIT DOC RIVERS!!! <a href="https://t.co/OQtkogEJzo">https://t.co/OQtkogEJzo</a>

Kings @ItsKingsBruh
Doc Rivers really a clown <a href="https://t.co/F0HX7ZHAA2">https://t.co/F0HX7ZHAA2</a>

Austin @AKone_05
Doc Rivers blew a series before it even started. That’s gotta be a record or something.

Big Smokey Fan Account @BlqMgck
Doc Rivers is a war criminal.

Grace @ballerstatzz
Doc Rivers should've never had Embiid in the game that late

Vin Thee Insider⌚️ @vinfosh
Doc Rivers. Such a moron. Absolutely no reason for him to be in. God, I hate him.

Celtics Highlights (hair) @CelticsHiLights
Doc Rivers was so insecure about losing the series that he mortgaged his star's health to assure a decisive close-out win. Unreal. <a href="https://t.co/1wpyKs9A2x">https://t.co/1wpyKs9A2x</a>

The Sixers will now have to face a Miami Heat team that finished first in the Eastern Conference without their best player. It was already going to be a tough matchup for Philadelphia, but Embiid's injury makes the situation that much worse.

Look for DeAndre Jordan to see more playing time in Embiid's absence, though he won't come close to making up the production that the former provided all season.

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