Joel Embiid will be playing through the pain for the rest of the year.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Embiid needs surgery on a torn ligament in his thumb, but he will wait until the offseason to have the procedure.
Embiid first felt the injury during Philadelphia’s Game 3 victory vs. Toronto, which led to him getting the MRI. However, Embiid already played through the injury in Game 4, totaling 21 points and eight rebounds in a 110–102 loss.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers confirmed that the MRI showed a ligament tear, but that news doesn’t change how Embiid will prepare for games moving forward.
"Treatment is the same. There literally will be no change. It's just, we knew we thought what it was and it was, so you just keep moving on,” Rivers said, via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Earlier this week, Rivers acknowledged that the injury is a difficult one, calling it “not a great injury.” However, Rivers added “can't get any worse,” so at this point it seems to be just a pain management issue for Embiid.
After Game 4, Embiid described how he is impacted by playing through the injury.
“I would say it was more, you know, when it comes to rebounding, at the free throw, and also passing,” Embiid said, via Bontemps.
The Sixers return to Philadelphia to host the Raptors for Game 5 Monday night, looking to close out a series that they already lead 3–1.
