Guest of the League
Like Mike
Offseason | NBA Week 26

Joel Embiid plays through Bell's palsy: 'Pretty annoying'

Fri Apr 26 12:09am ET
Field Level Media

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid produced his best-ever postseason performance on Thursday despite dealing with the facial condition Bell's palsy.

The problem began more than a week ago.

"Pretty annoying with the left side of my face, my mouth and my eye," Embiid said after scoring a playoff-career-high 50 points in Philadelphia's 125-114 Game 3 win over the visiting New York Knicks. "It's been tough, but I'm not a quitter. Gotta keep fighting through anything. It's unfortunate, that's the way I look at it. But that's not an excuse. Gotta keep pushing."

Bell's palsy causes facial muscle weakness or paralysis, affecting the muscles on one side of the face. It often begins suddenly and worsens over the course of several days, stemming from damage to the facial nerve.


The symptoms typically begin to lessen within a few weeks, with complete recovery generally occurring by six months.

Embiid had noticeable moments of his face appearing to droop to one side during the game.

"I think it started a day or two before the Miami game," Embiid said, referring to the 76ers' play-in win over the Miami Heat on April 17. "I battled migraines and thought it was nothing. Usually I like to tough out, but for some reason I ended up having to tell somebody. That's why that Miami game, my body, I just was not feeling (good)."

Embiid still finished with team highs of 23 points and 15 rebounds in that game.

In the first two games of the New York series, both won by the Knicks, Embiid averaged 31.5 points and nine rebounds.

Player Notes
Patrick Beverley Thu May 9 3:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended four games without pay by the NBA. During Game 6 of the first round against the Indiana Pacers, the 35-year-old was involved in an altercation, resulting in Beverely forcefully throwing a basketball into the stands toward fans. Additionally, after the game, he was involved in "an inappropriate interaction" with an ESPN reporter during media availability. His suspension will begin at the start of next season. Beverely heads into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

T.J. McConnell Thu May 9 9:40am

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell led the team with 12 assists and provided 10 points in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Knicks. The veteran guard logged a very productive 22 minutes off the bench, adding four rebounds to his tally and shooting 5-for-9 from the field. The Pacers were plus-10 with McConnell on the floor. That's now three straight games with double-digit scoring for McConnell, who has also averaged 8.0 dimes during the stretch. Indiana tends to play better with him on the court, and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle clearly needs to find more minutes for McConnell to turn things around in the series.

Obi Toppin Thu May 9 9:30am

Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin had a prolific outing in Game 2 against the Knicks on Wednesday, finishing a 130-121 loss with 20 points. He scored a point per minute off the bench, shooting 7-for-10 from the field with a 2-for-4 effort from behind the arc. Toppin also notched three rebounds, one assist, and one steal. The Pacers are struggling in the series, but Toppin has enjoyed the battle against his former team. He has shot a very impressive 70.6 percent through the first two games, averaging 16.0 points with 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Game 3 gives Toppin a chance to make it three 20-point efforts in four games.

Tyrese Haliburton Thu May 9 9:30am

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton scored a game-high 34 points with seven makes from downtown in Wednesday's 130-121 loss to the Knicks. After shaking off a questionable tag again, Haliburton enjoyed a good start with 13 first-quarter points and ended up with his highest-scoring game of the 2024 playoffs. He shot 11-for-19 overall from the field and finished one assist short of a double-double while recording six rebounds and three steals. Haliburton, who has been battling lower back spasms in the postseason, hasn't looked quite like himself lately, but his Game 2 outing was an encouraging sign that the best has yet to come from him. Indiana certainly needs similar efforts from Haliburton to take this series past four games.

Isaiah Hartenstein Thu May 9 9:20am

New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein came up with a big all-around performance against the Pacers in Wednesday's Game 2, finishing a 130-121 win with 14 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and one block. The 26-year-old big man, who averages 1.7 dimes for his career, came very close to a triple-double as he led his team in assists. Despite the narrow miss, Hartenstein should be extremely happy with his contributions in Game 2, and he at least got to celebrate his first double-double of the playoffs. There should be plenty more of those to come for Hartenstein after Mitchell Robinson (ankle) landed on the shelf.

Josh Hart Thu May 9 9:10am

New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart was once again on the court for the entire contest as the Knickerbockers grabbed a 2-0 series lead with a 130-121 victory against the Pacers on Wednesday. He also logged the entire 48 minutes in Game 1 and has now done it four times in total during the 2024 postseason. Hart posted a third consecutive double-double on Wednesday with 19 points and 15 rebounds, adding seven assists, one steal, and one block to his account. He finished with 8-for-12 shooting, going 1-for-3 from behind the arc. The 29-year-old has averaged a ridiculous 48.2 minutes per game over New York's last five matches. Hart has also been very productive during his time on the court, logging 21.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 2.0 steals in the series against Indiana.

Donte DiVincenzo Thu May 9 9:10am

New York Knicks guard/forward Donte DiVincenzo contributed 28 points in Wednesday's 130-121 Game 2 victory over Indiana, shooting 6-for-12 from three-point range. He was 10-for-20 overall from the field with six rebounds, four assists, and one steal. DiVincenzo had a cold start to the postseason, but he's now posted at least 23 points in three consecutive games. He's a very talented shooter, and Indiana has given him a lot of looks in the series, with DiVincenzo having recorded 21 attempts from deep. The 27-year-old sniper has shot 52.4 percent from downtown through the first two games.

Jalen Brunson Thu May 9 9:00am

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson shook off a foot injury to put up a team-high 29 points on 11-for-18 shooting in Wednesday's Game 2 win over Indiana. The Knicks star missed the entire second quarter with a sore right foot, but he was back in action for the start of the third and played like nothing had happened. Brunson was 3-for-6 with his three-point attempts and also led his team with three steals while delivering five assists and grabbing two rebounds. The foot problem could land Brunson on the injury report ahead of Game 3, but it looks like he can play through the ailment.

OG Anunoby Wed May 8 10:10pm

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (hamstring) won't return to Wednesday's matchup against the Pacers. He had played well in the contest, scoring 28 points while shooting 10-for-19 from the field and 4-for-7 from deep. Unfortunately, Anunoby limped off the court late in the third quarter, with TNT's Chris Haynes reporting the former Raptor experienced left hamstring soreness. Jalen Brunson (foot) briefly exited this contest, although he returned. However, DFS managers will likely see both men on the injury report ahead of Game 3 on Friday evening. While Anunoby is sidelined, Precious Achiuwa will likely see more work.

OG Anunoby Wed May 8 10:00pm

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (leg) exited Wednesday's postseason matchup with the Pacers. Jalen Brunson (foot) left in the first half because of right foot discomfort. Fortunately, Brunson returned, although now the team could be without Anunoby, who limped off the court while holding his left hamstring in the third quarter. If he doesn't return, he'll finish with 28 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the field and 4-for-7 from deep, with Precious Achiuwa and Miles McBride expected to see more minutes the rest of the way.

Jalen Brunson Wed May 8 9:40pm

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (foot) returned to Wednesday's postseason contest versus the Pacers. Brunson experienced right foot discomfort in the first quarter and was questionable to return. However, while fantasy managers are happy he's out there, it's evident he's not 100%. Of course, head coach Tom Thibodeau will monitor Brunson throughout the contest, and he will likely see fewer minutes than usual.

Kristaps Porzingis Wed May 8 9:30pm

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (calf) remains out for Thursday's matchup against the Cavaliers. The 28-year-old suffered a right Soleus strain during the previous round versus the Miami Heat. Fortunately, team reporter Chris Forsberg posted a video to X on Wednesday that showed Porzingis doing some shooting. Nonetheless, he could still miss the remainder of the series with Cleveland. But until Porzingis is back in the lineup, Al Horford and Luke Kornet should handle things in the middle.

Nikola Jokic Wed May 8 9:20pm

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was named the 2023-24 NBA Most Valuable Player, his third time capturing the award in the last four seasons. The 29-year-old is coming off another potent season, amassing 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in 79 games. He also shot 58.3% from the field, one of the best marks of his career. Jokic doesn't appear to be slowing down, so he should remain a top fantasy option for many years ahead, especially since he's among the most durable players in the National Basketball Association.

Jalen Brunson Wed May 8 9:10pm

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (foot) exited Wednesday's meeting with the Indiana Pacers. He is questionable to return. The 27-year-old had 43 points to lead the Knicks to the win in Game 1. Unfortunately, he was only on the court for eight minutes in Game 2 before exiting with right foot discomfort. The Knicks need him healthy. But if Brunson can't return, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo will pick up most of the slack on the scoring end.

Patrick Beverley Wed May 8 7:10pm

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley is under police investigation for his ball-throwing incident in Game 6 against the Pacers. With the Bucks down by 20 points and heading out of the playoffs, Beverley chucked the ball at Pacers fans multiple times near the end of the game. The controversial guard, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent, has since then regretted the incident. "Unfortunate situation that should have never happened," Beverley said on his podcast. "What I did was bad, and that should have never happened. I have to be better, and I will be better. That should have never happened. Regardless of what was said, that should have never happened. Simple as that."

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Wed May 8 7:00pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has suffered a torn Achilles and is set to undergo surgery, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. The older brother of multi-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has just finished his sixth NBA season, averaging 0.9 points across 4.6 minutes of action. He has a total of 198 regular-season games of experience under his belt in the Association. Together with his brother, Antetokounmpo won the NBA championship with the Bucks in 2021.

Dean Wade Wed May 8 6:50pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) will remain out for Thursday's Game 2 against Boston. He's missed two months with a sprained right knee, but there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for the 27-year-old. An update ahead of the second-round series opener by Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com suggested Wade might be ready to return to action this weekend. With Jarrett Allen (rib) also out injured, the Cavaliers could really use an extra body on the frontcourt. Wade finished the regular season with averages of 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds across 20.5 minutes.

Jarrett Allen Wed May 8 6:40pm

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) has once again landed on the injury report as questionable ahead of Game 2 against Boston on Thursday. Allen missed a fourth consecutive game as the Eastern Conference semifinals started on Tuesday night. He's bothered by a right rib contusion, which reportedly even makes it tough for him to sleep, so the signs aren't great regarding his potential return on Thursday. Evan Mobley will continue to start at center if Allen isn't ready to return, with Tristan Thompson and Marcus Morris Sr. providing cover.

Luka Doncic Wed May 8 6:40pm

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (knee) is on the injury report as probable ahead of Thursday's Game 2 against the Thunder. He looks set to play through a knee sprain after going through a full practice on Wednesday. Doncic appeared to be troubled by the injury in Tuesday's Game 1, but he's previously had no issues stuffing the stat sheet. The 25-year-old superstar is averaging 28.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and 1.1 steals for the 2024 postseason. However, Doncic has run into some serious shooting woes in the playoffs, hitting only 22.7 percent of his three-point shots and 39.5 percent overall from the field.

Donovan Mitchell Wed May 8 9:30am

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell produced a game-high 33 points on 12-for-25 shooting as the team had to settle for a 120-95 loss in Game 1 against Boston on Tuesday. He hit four shots from deep with 11 attempts and collected six rebounds, five assists, and one steal. The Cleveland star has now scored 122 across the past three games. Mitchell has been in spectacular form lately, but he definitely needs more help if the Cavaliers want to make Boston sweat in the series.