Philadelphia 76ers superstar big man Joel Embiid has already started working on some drills on the court, but there remains no certain date for his return to action, according to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse (via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).
“Nick Nurse says Joel Embiid continues to work out on the court but that there remains no timetable for his return. Nurse goes on to say he believes there’s a “very good” chance Embiid plays before the end of the regular season,” Bontemps wrote on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter).
Joel Embiid could return before the 2024 NBA Playoffs
It has been over two months since the last time the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player showed up on the court, as he continues his recovery process from a left meniscus procedure. The most recent game Embiid played in was the January 30 matchup against the Golden State Warriors, on the road, which the 76ers lost via a score of 119-107.
Since then, the 76ers have only won 10 of 26 games without their best player. Embiid is clearly the most important asset of Philadelphia, but based on his current progress, it still sounds too risky of a move if the Sixers try to rush him back.
The former Kansas Jayhawks star has only played in 34 games so far in the 2023-24 NBA regular season and averaged 35.3 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field, 11.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. He is also shooting 88.3 percent from the foul line, 36.6 percent from the 3-point region, and posting a 56.0 effective field goal percentage. Without Embiid on the floor, the 76ers are often left to perform at way below their true potential, though, Tyrese Maxey is doing an admirable job of helping the team keep its head above the water.
After the 2023-24 NBA All-Star break, Maxey has averaged 26.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while making just 44.8 percent of his shots from the field and 38.2 percent of his trie from behind the arc. Tobias Harris has been inconsistent, averaging 15.3 points on 42.5 field goal percentage in his last 15 games.
The good news for the 76ers is that Embiid seems to have a good chance of returning to action just before the playoffs.
The 76ers still in the race to win guaranteed playoff spot
Despite Embiid's absence, the 76ers are still in contention for one of the top-six spots in the Eastern Conference standings. At the moment, they are eighth in the East with a 39-33 record after losing to the Sacramento Kings on Monday away from home to the tune of a 108-96 score.
Before that, the 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in La La Land, 121-107, showing that Philadelphia is capable of putting together a fantastic performance against a legitimate NBA title contender even without Embiid in uniform. However, Philly has simply not been winning as consistently as they would likely have if Embiid was around to lead the way.
The Sixers only have 10 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, with a rematch against the Clippers on Thursday and a two-game trip on the road to follow that versus the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Assuming that Embiid does manage to take the floor just before the playoffs, it could probably take place during the final week of the regular season. During that stretch, the 76ers will be playing their final three games of the season at home versus the Detroit Lions, Orlando Magic, and the Brooklyn Nets.
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