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Sixers’ Joel Embiid leaves game after suffering left knee injury

The 76ers center landed awkwardly after dunking the ball with 6 minutes, 27 seconds left to the third quarter. His knee bent back after he landed. It appeared to be a hyperextension.

Joel Embiid (21), before leaving the game, dunks past Washington's Russell Westbrook in the third quarter.
Joel Embiid (21), before leaving the game, dunks past Washington's Russell Westbrook in the third quarter.Read moreNick Wass / AP

WASHINGTON — Joel Embiid suffered a left knee injury in the third quarter of Friday’s game against the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena.

The 76ers center landed awkwardly after dunking the ball with 6 minutes, 27 seconds left in the third quarter. His knee bent in the wrong direction after he landed. It appeared to be a hyperextension.

Embiid was on the floor for a few minutes in obvious pain as his teammates rushed to his aid. A stretcher was brought out to assist him, but Embiid limped off the court with some assistance and into the locker room.

The center had 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 20 minutes, 24 seconds of action.

Embiid missed Sunday’s All-Star Game and Thursday’s 127-105 road victory over the Chicago Bulls because of the NBA’s health and safety protocol. He found himself in the protocols after coming in contact with a barber who tested positive for COVID-19. Embiid had to quarantine for seven days following the last exposure to the barber.

He returned to play once he received a lab-based PCR negative result on Friday. It was his seventh straight day of testing negative. Ben Simmons also came in contact with the same barber. He will be cleared to rejoin the team Saturday if he continues to test negative.