NBA 2023: Philadelphia 76ers' star Joel Embiid's injury woes continue ahead of East semifinals opener

While 76ers prepare for their campaign further in the tournament, injury woes continue to plague their star player Joel Embiid.

Philadelphia 76ers are aiming to continue their good run in the tournament as they prepare for Eastern Conference semifinals. But in a big setback to their plans, injury woes continue to plague their star player Joel Embiid who is suffering from problems in his right knee. As per latest reports, Embiid is not cleared to practice.

Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers (Getty Images via AFP)

76ers Coach Doc Rivers said on Thursday that Embiid was at a doctor's exam while the team practiced at its New Jersey facility.

"I'm just going to wait. They'll call me later and we'll see where he's at," said Rivers as quoted by ESPN.

Interestingly, Embiid has had a history of injuries at important moments in recent years. He had dealt with a meniscus tear in 2021 which caused him to miss the closeout game in the team's first-round series against the Washington Wizards. In the previous season, Embiid got affected by a concussion and orbital bone fracture during the first round against Toronto, leading him to miss the first two games of the following series against Miami.

Earlier, 76ers had performed a clean sweep over Brooklyn Nets and secured the series 4-0 in NBA playoffs round 1 last week. With the win, 76ers qualified for the Eastern Conference semifinals.

76ers are aiming to qualify for the conference finals for the first time since 2001 and they would surely need the services of their star player. Although 76ers have a well-rounded team, they would surely want Embiid to be back on the court.

Embiid has averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season. He played in 66 games, the second-highest total of his career.