The Philadelphia 76ers were hit with a $100,000 fine from the NBA on Wednesday for violating injury reporting rules last week, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The fine is due to the Sixers’ failure to properly report an injury to center Joel Embiid as he returned from a nine-game absence on Sunday, November 30 to face the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid was listed as out on the team’s initial injury report on Saturday, November 29. Then, hours before tip-off on Sunday, he was upgraded to questionable, and he ultimately played in Philadelphia’s double-overtime loss to Atlanta.
This is not the first time the Sixers have been fined for violating injury reporting rules with Embiid. They were fined $50,000 during the 2022 playoffs when facing the Miami Heat, $75,000 in January 2024 against the Denver Nuggets and $100,000 in April 2024 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The NBA’s official statement says “The 76ers failed to accurately disclose the game availability status of Joel Embiid prior to their game against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30.” The league also explained that it took the Sixers’ prior history of injury reporting violations into account when levying the fine.
Joel Embiid Injury Recovery
Prior to Sunday, Embiid had missed the Sixers’ last nine games with right knee soreness. He had played in only six of Philadelphia’s first 18 games this year due to injury. For the season, the former MVP is averaging 19.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
Against the Hawks, Embiid scored 18 points on 6-14 shooting from the field. He also pulled in four rebounds and had a steal and a block in a season-high 30 minutes.
“When you miss a month and you’ve only had about two court sessions going up and down, it feels like the first game of the season,” Embiid told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “You build on it. I’m not even mad about it. I’m just happy I got to play the game of basketball. Next game, whether shots fall or not, I don’t really judge myself on that.”
Embiid did not play in Philadelphia’s 121-102 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, December 2. He was listed as out on the official injury report due to right knee injury recovery.
Tyrese Maxey Is Carrying The Philadelphia 76ers
While Embiid has been out for most of the season so far, guard Tyrese Maxey has been shouldering much of the offensive load for Philadelphia. The 2023-24 All-Star is having the best season of his career, averaging a career-high 32.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He also leads the NBA in minutes per game (40.1) and field goal attempts per game (23.1).
The Sixers are 11-9 and currently in ninth in a crowded Eastern Conference. If rookie star VJ Edgecombe (who missed three games prior to Sunday with a left calf injury) and Embiid can remain healthy and Maxey continues to play like an MVP-candidate, Philadelphia has a chance to return to the postseason, after staying home last year.
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