Report: 'Forceful Blow' Could Permanently Damage Joel Embiid's Eyesight

The Philadelphia 76ers' cautious approach with center Joel Embiid may be warranted in the wake of a report regarding his orbital bone fracture.

According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, a source said a "forceful blow" to Embiid's orbital bone could cause permanent damage to the sight in his left eye.

Embiid sat out the first two games of Philly's first-round playoff series with the Miami Heat and the final eight games of the regular season due to his orbital bone fracture, which he suffered in late March.

The All-Star big man is listed as doubtful for Thursday's Game 3.

Miami evened the series at 1-1 on Monday, which snapped Philadelphia's 17-game winning streak dating back to the regular season.

After the Sixers' Game 2 loss, Embiid posted, "F--king sick and tired of being babied" on Instagram.

Since missing the first two seasons of his career with foot injuries, Embiid has been protected by the 76ers. That cautious approach has included limiting the amount of back-to-back games he plays and not rushing him back from various ailments.

Embiid appeared in a career-high 63 games during the regular season and averaged 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per contest.

Veteran Amir Johnson has received the bulk of the minutes at center during Embiid's absence, although Philly went small with both Ersan Ilyasova and Dario Saric in the starting lineup in Game 2.

Whenever Embiid returns, he is likely to wear a protective mask after doing so during recent shootarounds.