Joel Embiid leaves playoff game with knee soreness

Joel Embiid will not return to Game 4 of the Sixers’ first-round series against Washington with right knee soreness, the team tweets.

Embiid played 11 minutes on Monday before retreating to the locker room. Initially speculation was that Embiid had a tailbone injury after taking a fall but the team’s official announcement could be even more ominous.

Embiid underwent surgery on his left knee in 2017 and has dealt with soreness in that knee at times.

An extended absence for Embiid, who averaged 29.3 PPG in Philadelphia’s three victories in the series, would obviously be a crushing blow to the Sixers’ title hopes. If the Sixers are able to close out the series quickly, it would buy more time for Embiid to heal for the conference semifinals.