NBA: 76ers star center Embiid suffers sinus fracture in loss

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid suffered his latest injury Friday night when he was struck in the face in a 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Embiid was diagnosed with a sinus fracture and will be further evaluated over the weekend.

Embiid was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nose. Embiid crumpled to the ground as play continued up the floor and he stayed down near the Philadelphia bench, holding his face.

Playing just his sixth game of the season, Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes.

He has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and also served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter.

Embiid also has had a number of face injuries, including an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs and one in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last year, Embiid had Bell’s Palsy during a first-round playoff loss to New York.

Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George - billed as Philadelphia’s “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival - have played parts of only three games together. The Sixers are 7-16 on the season.

Tyrese Haliburton had 32 points and 11 assists and Pascal Siakam added 23 points for Indiana.

final. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/NBR3AQDOsj

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 14, 2024

Durant sparks Suns in return

Devin Booker scored 34 points and Kevin Durant added 30 in his return to Phoenix's lineup, leading the Suns to a 134-126 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Durant and Booker also each had eight assists to help the Suns snap a three-game losing streak. Tyus Jones tallied 19 points and 11 assists.

Durant missed three games because of a left ankle sprain. Suns center Jusuf Nurkic also was back after sitting out five games with a left ankle sprain and right thigh contusion.

Jordan Clarkson also returned for Utah following a seven-game absence because of plantar fasciitis. Clarkson led the Jazz with 23 points, John Collins added 22 and Lauri Markkanen had 19.

SUNS WIN! pic.twitter.com/yYXEv1ppSt

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 14, 2024

Grizzlies beat Nets to stay red hot

Ja Morant had 28 points and 10 assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Brooklyn Nets 135-119 for their fourth consecutive win.

Desmond Bane added 21 points as Memphis improved to 10-1 in its last 11 games overall. Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr. each had 20 points.

Dorian Finney-Smith led the Nets with 19 points, while Dennis Schröder and Jalen Wilson each finished with 15. Brooklyn lost for the fifth time in six games.

The Nets put together an 11-0 run early in the third quarter to erase a double-digit deficit, but the Grizzlies answered with an 18-3 burst that pushed the lead back to 17 points.

Total Team Effort 47.2% from Long Range 33 Assists 68 Points in the Paint pic.twitter.com/EqXjfKRJHN

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) December 14, 2024