Joel Embiid has been a crucial member of the Philadelphia 76ers, even though sometimes he is incredibly inconsistent. When Embiid plays well, the team plays well and they have driven that philosophy home over the last couple of seasons. Recently, Ben Simmons went down with a back injury and could very well miss the rest of the season. In light of Simmons' injury, it was supposed to be Joel Embiid who would pick up the play and lead his team to victory. 

Unfortunately for Embiid and the Sixers, his role could take a huge hit as he went down with a shoulder injury last night. During the first quarter of a match against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Embiid was seen clutching his shoulder and never returned to the game. His team eventually lost, 108-94. 

When Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets this past summer, fans were extremely excited because it meant their team was about to get a lot better. It was common knowledge that Durant would miss the season with an Achilles injury but at least they would have Kyrie Irving playing point guard. At first, things looked good but once Irving suffered a shoulder injury, things took a bit of a negative turn. Recently, Irving came back to the lineup and it appeared as though he would be fine. Now, Irving has reaggravated his shoulder and is right back out of the Nets lineup.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving will now have an operation on his right shoulder so that he can repair the damage that's been done. This means the Nets star will be out of the lineup for quite a while. In fact, it could even spell the end of his season. 

Kyrie Irving missed significant time at the beginning of the season because of a shoulder injury he sustained. Irving has consistently been one of the best point guards in the league and in his absence, the Nets struggled at times. Now, Irving is back in the lineup and is hoping to lead his team all the way to the playoffs. 

After a loss against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, Irving was asked by reporter Anthony Puccio about his shoulder and whether or not he feels good heading into the second half of the season. As it turns out, Irving is feeling a lot better and seems to know exactly what caused his injury in the first place.

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“I feel good. Being out gave time to slow down, get healthy and put an emphasis on my body,” Irving said. “Early in the season, I had 3 broken bones in my face and I got hit again in China. I think that’s what attributed to my shoulder impingement, trying to make up for lost time.”

As of right now, it seems as though the Nets are in for a tough end to the season especially with Kevin Durant out of the lineup. Despite this, Irving is a huge injection of offense and the Nets are poised to at least be a 7th or 8th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Kyrie Irving is one of the best point guards in the game. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined for much of this season thanks to a nagging shoulder injury. Just last week, it was revealed that Irving could miss the entire season if he were to get shoulder surgery. Instead, Irving opted for cortisone shots and is hoping they can help him recover quicker. According to ESPN, Irving has started doing contact practices and is even working in 5-on-5 drills. As Irving explains, he is hoping to take his recovery day by day.

“We just see where we end up in the next few days,” Irving told ESPN. “Realistically, we will re-evaluate tomorrow. See how I feel tomorrow. Then go Saturday — probably another practice. Hopefully I get some game reps in addition to practice probably in the next week or so. It could be less than that, but I’ll give myself a week.”

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For now, Kyrie is hoping to get back on the court next week although that might be a little unrealistic. Shoulder injuries are hard to come back from because they directly impact your shooting ability. Regardless, the Nets are struggling right now and could use some more offense, especially at the point guard position. Perhaps Irving’s return will help them secure a place in the Eastern Conference playoffs.