A fragile, surgically rehabilitated left knee and the New York Knicks’ physical, suffocating defense are not the only limiting factors Joel Embiid is managing during the first round of the playoffs because he also has Bell’s Palsy.
After leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a decisive victory in Game 3 against New York on Thursday night, media reports revealed that Joel Embiid has been receiving treatment over the past week for a mild case of Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes partial facial paralysis.
“Sixers star Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy over the past week. The condition began during the play-in win over Miami, but he wanted to keep it quiet to avoid distractions to his team.”, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
ESPN Sources: Sixers star Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s Palsey for the past week. The condition began during the play-in victory over Miami but he has wanted to keep it private to avoid distractions for his team.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 26, 2024
Embiid’s official diagnosis comes as no surprise. Footage of the big guy unable to blink his left eye after a bad fall in the postseason opener has gone viral, and the left side of his face was clearly immobile at moments during the Sixers’ Game 3 victory. Bell’s case of paralysis also explains why Embiid wore sunglasses or covered his face during recent postgame interviews.
Philadelphia’s star player donned sunglasses again after Thursday’s game and shed further light on his condition.
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