Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid scores 50 vs. Knicks while dealing with Bell's palsy

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid is playing with a mild case of Bell’s palsy, which was diagnosed about a week ago when the Sixers played the Miami Heat in a play-in game tournament.

Embiid scored a playoff-career high 50 points in the Sixers’ 125-114 victory against the New York Knicks Thursday. Embiid said he began experiencing symptoms just before the Heat game on April 17.

“It started a day or two before the Miami game and I had bad migraines and thought it was nothing,” Embiid said. “But usually I don't like to check it out, but for some reason I ended up having to tell somebody, and yeah, that's why the Miami game, it was just my body was just not feeling it.”

Bell’s palsy is “an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis. It begins suddenly and worsens over 48 hours. This condition results from damage to the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve). Pain and discomfort usually occur on one side of the face or head,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“Bell's palsy is not considered permanent, but in rare cases, it does not disappear. Currently, there is no known cure for Bell's palsy; however, recovery usually begins 2 weeks to 6 months from the onset of the symptoms. Most people with Bell's palsy recover full facial strength and expression.”

Embiid, who has been wearing sunglasses and had a pair on during his postgame interview, said the symptoms affect the left side of his face, mouth and eye.

“It's pretty annoying … so yeah, it's been tough, but I'm not a quitter, so got to keep fighting through anything,” Embiid said. “It's unfortunate. That's the way I look at it, but that's not an excuse. I’ve got to keep pushing.”

In his 50-point performance, he was 13-for-19 from the field, including 5-for-7 on 3-pointers, and 19-for-21 on free throws. He also had eight rebounds, four assists and one block. The Sixers trail the Knicks 2-1 in their best-of-7 first-round series, and Embiid is averaging 37.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

Embiid missed February and March following a procedure on the meniscus in his left knee. He returned in April but he is not 100% despite his performance against the Knicks.

“I just love playing the game,” he said. “I just want to be on the floor as much as possible. I want to play as much as possible. I only got about maybe eight years left, so I’ve got to enjoy it as much as possible, and I want to win.”