Report: Joel Embiid Will Delay Surgery on Thumb Injury Until End of 76ers' Season

The Philadelphia 76ers center will have surgery on his thumb in the off-season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

In Saturday's loss to the Toronto Raptors, he finished with 21 points and eight rebound. Philadelphia leads the first-round series by a single point.

During the regular season, he averaged a league-high 30.6 points,11.7 rebound, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. He scored 36.5 points per game in the last eight games of the season.

The 76ers finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record thanks to his efforts.

The team played without three-time All-Star Ben Simmons for more than half of the year before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. The deal netted James Harden, but he struggled shooting in the final 17 games.

The 76ers were positioned for a deep playoff run because of the dominance of Embiid.

In the third game of the 76ers first-round playoff series against the Raptors, there was a thumb injury to Embiid. The news about the injury in the days after was not good.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

There is fear that Philadelphia 76ers All-NBA star Joel Embiid has a torn ligament in his right thumb, but Embiid has vowed to continue playing through the injury, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Embiid will rely on his pain tolerance and 76ers‘ medical staff.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn

As Doc Rivers alluded, sources tell @ramonashelburne and me that the initial exam suggested ligament damage to Joel Embiid's right thumb, but an MRI is still needed to learn the extent of the injury. https://t.co/d2tMGKdQrU

The injury will require surgery, but he won't keep himself off the court.

Paul Reed has been used in place of the big man in the series with the Raptors. Reed played in 7.9 minutes per game in the regular season.

He had 25 points and four steals in the final game of the year, against the Pistons.

The 76ers can turn to Jordan for some time at the 5.