It’s April, and the playoffs are nearing for the 76ers, which typically means Joel Embiid is dealing with some sort of injury.
Embiid is considered one of the best players in the NBA, having achieved many feats such as winning MVP, being a two-time scoring champion, and making seven All-Star appearances. This season, he even scored an impressive 70 points in a single game.
Despite his stellar achievements, Embiid has a history of injuries, which often become a concern during the playoffs. This season is no different, as he recently experienced discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee.
While coach Nick Nurse anticipated Embiid would play in the play-in game against Miami on Wednesday, there’s always uncertainty about his health during the playoffs.
This uncertainty has been a significant factor in the 76ers’ inability to advance past the second round in the Eastern Conference playoffs during Embiid’s seven full seasons in the NBA.
Despite the popular sayings like “next man up” or the belief that a team is more than just one player, Embiid’s availability greatly impacts the team’s success in the playoffs.
Don’t ignore it, Philly. This season, the 76ers had a great record of 31 wins and 8 losses when Embiid played, which is like winning about 65 games. But without him, they struggled, only winning 16 games out of 43.
The success of the Sixers often depends on Embiid. “I try to play whenever I can,” said Embiid earlier this month. The chance of going far in the playoffs is slim for Embiid and his teammates.
To make it to the playoffs, the Sixers need to beat Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. If they win, they’ll get the No. 7 seed and face the New York Knicks in the first round.
But if they lose, they’ll have to win the next play-in game on Friday to get the No. 8 seed and play against No. 1 Boston. If they lose both games, the Sixers’ season will be over.
Nurse, who coached the Toronto Raptors to an NBA championship in 2019, knows the Sixers well. In 2019, the Raptors beat the Sixers in a tough seven-game series during the playoffs. This was one of the many times Embiid’s playoff performance was affected by injuries.
In the past three years, Embiid has missed at least one playoff game each year due to injuries. Last season, he injured his right knee and missed games against Brooklyn and Boston.
In 2022, he missed two games in the second round, and in 2021, he missed one game in the first round due to various injuries. Additionally, he missed the first two games of the 2018 playoffs because of an orbital fracture and another game in 2019 due to a knee problem.
The 76ers have managed to keep going with a record of 5 wins and 3 losses in playoff games without Embiid since 2018.
“All I want is for us to be healthy,” said Embiid. “I just want us to have that chance. We won’t be as good without everyone. It’s not just about me.”
Embiid, who is 30 years old, averaged 34.7 points and 11 rebounds in only 39 games this season. He had an unusual stat where he scored more points than minutes played, with 1,353 points in 1,309 minutes.
He also has a strong teammate in All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who is a top contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Maxey scored 50 points in a game three times this season.
Maxey mentioned that he’s taken important steps, like staying in top condition throughout the season, to be ready for a potentially long playoff run alongside Embiid.
“This is the best I’ve felt going into the playoffs since I started in the NBA,” said Maxey, who is in his fourth season.
On the other hand, Embiid revealed weeks ago that the recent knee injury affected him mentally and made him feel depressed.
“This one took a toll mentally. I felt depressed. It was tough,” said Embiid. “I’m still not where I should be, especially mentally. But I just love playing. I love basketball, and I want to play.”
He admitted that he felt worried before briefly leaving a game on Friday due to a knee injury. Embiid didn’t play in the last regular-season game as a precaution, but fully participated in practice the last two days before the play-in game.
“He seemed good. He was in good spirits,” said Nurse on Monday. “He was very focused. We were doing a lot of things that were specific to our game plan. He was focused.”
But the question remains: Can Embiid maintain his focus until June? The 76ers would love to see just one season—just one—where they can make a championship run with a healthy and happy Embiid before he starts to decline.
