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Why is Joel Embiid wearing a mask? Explaining 76ers star’s return from sinus fracture

The 76ers have struggled with injuries to begin the 2024-25 season, which is a significant reason they haven’t lived up to championship-level expectations.

Star center Joel Embiid has been a big part of that, as bad injury luck has continued to hold the former NBA MVP back.

Right now, Embiid is dealing with an injury that’s forcing him to wear a mask over his face. It’s not the first time he’s done so — see Philadelphia’s playoff matchups vs. the Heat in both 2018 and 2022 — but in order to protect himself for the time being, the big man has his face covered up.

Why is Embiid wearing a mask? As Philadelphia gets set to face Boston on Christmas Day, here’s what to know about its star center’s face injury.

MORE: Latest updates on Joel Embiid’s face injury

Why is Joel Embiid wearing a mask? 

Embiid missed extended time to begin the 2024-25 season, but has recently been healthy enough to make his return to the floor and ramp up to full game-by-game action. But in just his sixth game played so far this year, Embiid went down with an injury to his face.

Against the Pacers on Dec. 13, Indiana guard Bennedict Mathurin caught Embiid with his elbow after jumping up in a rebounding attempt. Embiid left the game immediately after.

The 76ers announced later that Embiid had suffered a sinus fracture in his face. He wound up missing one game, Philadelphia’s matchup against the Hornets on Dec. 16, before making his return to the floor to face Charlotte on Dec. 20. Wearing the mask, Embiid put up 34 points, nine assists and five rebounds in a 76ers win. 

While he did miss the team’s following matchup vs. Cleveland because it was a back-to-back, Embiid will continue to play with the mask until his facial injury is healed enough.

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Joel Embiid’s 2024-25 injuries

Embiid missed extended time to begin the season with a left knee injury, with has lingered in recent weeks and is causing him to sit back-to-backs.

He told ESPN earlier in December that his knee situation has been “depressing,” as the swelling has been tough to keep control of. On top of the knee and face injuries, Embiid also served a three-game suspension for shoving a reporter earlier this season.

The various circumstances have allowed Embiid to play in just seven of Philadelphia’s first 26 games in 2024-25.

Joel Embiid 2024-25 stats

  • Games: 7
  • Points per game: 22.3
  • Rebounds per game: 7.3
  • Assists per game: 4.6
  • Steals per game: 0.6
  • Blocks per game: 1.1
  • Turnovers per game: 3.4
  • FG%: 42.9%
  • 3P%: 20.7%
  • FT%: 94.1%

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