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Joel Embiid has been dealing with an eye condition for the past week. The condition came to light during the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks. It was amplified during Game 3 as videos emerged of Embiid struggling to shut his left eye or make any movements. The left side of his mouth also drooped, making his condition one of the talking points during Thursday's contest.
According to NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Embiid has dealt with a mild Bell's Palsy case for the past week. The issue hasn't limited him from playing, though. Embiid has appeared in all three games of the first-round series against the Knicks, and that hasn't been mentioned on the injury report status, either.
What is Bell's Palsy? Exploring Joel Embiid's condition
Bell's Palsy is a condition that causes sudden weakness in one side of the face. In Joel Embiid's situation, it's his left side. The recovery period is short-term as it improves in weeks. The condition causes one side of the face to droop. It can be caused by a reaction through viral infection. The complete recovery can take up to six months.
Joel Embiid reacts to Bell's Palsy condition
Joel Embiid seemed frustrated with Bell's Palsy condition. The 76ers star spoke about it for the first time after reports emerged about his condition. Embiid called it "annoying," but he was adamant to keep pushing through it after a career-high playoffs night.
"Pretty annoying with the left side of my face, my mouth and my eye. It's been tough but I'm not a quitter… It's unfortunate… got to keep pushing"
While the injury does seem to bother him a bit, it didn't stop him from having his best playoff game. Embiid dropped 50 points in the game, shooting 68.4%. He also had eight rebounds and four assists. Embiid made 21 trips to the free-throw line as he played through tremendous physicality.
It's been a difficult series for Joel Embiid, dealing with physicality and the surgically repaired left knee that is still not fully healed. Embiid has been questionable to play every game in this series, which limited his impact in Games 1 and 2.
