Getty Images Danny Green of the Philadelphia 76ers suffers an injury against the Miami Heat.
The Philadelphia 76ers are bracing for bad news after Danny Green exited Game 6 against the Miami Heat with a knee injury.
Green was standing under the hoop when teammate Joel Embiid rolled into him after making a layup. Green’s leg appeared to get caught under the big man and he remained on the court. The 34-year-old was helped off the court and into the locker room following the play and did not return.
Green is a popular player within league circles and got an outpouring of support following the injury. One note came from his former Lakers teammate, LeBron James, who he won a title with in 2020.
“Damn man!!! Prayers to my guy Danny Green,” James tweeted.
The Sixers are bracing for bad news when it comes to the severity of the injury, per ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Ahead of the MRI for Philadelphia guard Danny Green, there’s significant concern on the severity of the left knee injury,” he tweeted shortly after the injury.
Green Critical of Sixers’ Game 5 Performance
Green has had his ups and downs during the year but was a valuable member of the rotation for the Sixers. He churned out his best postseason showing in Game 3, notching 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Green was shooting 46.8% from deep in the series and played a key role for the Sixers on defense.
As a veteran, Green called out his team for their performance following a 35-point loss in Game 5 to the Heat.
“It shouldn’t take [being on the brink of elimination] for us to wake up,” Green said. “Our last performance was inexcusable — just the competitive side of it, the nature that we came in [with], the mindset.
“Start until the finish, we didn’t come in with the intensity of a playoff matchup the way we should have. But now our backs are against the wall, so we have to fight and scratch to stay alive.”
Sixers Star Joel Embiid Battling Through Injury
The Sixers have been battling with star big man Joel Embiid at less than 100%. He’s dealing with a thumb injury and an orbital fracture, requiring him to wear a mask.
“There’s a lot going on,” Embiid said after Game 5. “Sometimes, your body and whatever is going on, as you know, just won’t allow you to be yourself. In those moments, you just gotta keep pushing and hope for the best. But at this point, it’s all about just being there and just keep pushing.”
He’s been nailed in the face a few times but has continued to battle, averaging 19.7 points and 9 rebounds in the team’s Eastern Conference Semifinal series after missing the first two games.
“Joel’s good — as good as he can be with all the stuff that’s going on with him,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said prior to Game 6. “He’s good. He’s able to play. We’re thankful [for] that. He’s gonna give us what he can give us, and we’re thankful for that.”
The Sixers need to win on Thursday to keep their season alive. Game 7 would be in Miami on Sunday.