The Philadelphia 76ers received a massive update on Monday. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, superstar Joel Embiid is nearing a return from injury and could possibly play on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“76ers star Joel Embiid is nearing comeback as soon as Tuesday's home game vs. OKC Thunder, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The reigning NBA MVP has positively completed multiple five-on-five scrimmage sessions in recent days,” Charania wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
76ers head coach Nick Nurse recently provided a positive Embiid injury update. Still, Embiid's injury timeline was in question. Now, it is clear that Embiid is on the verge of a return. Even if Embiid does not play Tuesday against the Thunder, he should be back on the floor before too long barring a setback.
Joel Embiid has not played since late January after suffering a leg injury. He underwent surgery on his meniscus and was expected to miss a significant amount of time. The 76ers were hopeful that he would be able to return during the 2023-24 season, though.
76ers set for major Joel Embiid boost
The 76ers were near the top of the Eastern Conference standings and Embiid was the MVP favorite before he suffered the injury. Now, Philadelphia would be in the NBA Play-In Tournament if the season ended today.
Embiid has been missed to say the least. Philadelphia will feel confident heading into the postseason with Embiid back in the rotation, however. They could upset some of the best teams in the Eastern Conference as a result.
Embiid, 30, was averaging 35.3 points per game on 53.3 percent field goal and 36.6 percent three-point shooting before the injury. He was also recording 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks per outing.
The 76ers superstar won the NBA MVP award during the 2022-23 season. He had finished second in both of the previous two seasons. Embiid was seemingly on track for another MVP this year.
He will not win the MVP in 2023-24, but Joel Embiid can save the 76ers. Philadelphia features other stars such as Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris on the roster. Meanwhile, players like Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Mo Bamba can help matters for the team.
Embiid's return will take some pressure off of those players. Defenses will need to focus on containing Embiid, so the 76ers other players will have opportunities to step up.
Can 76ers sneak out of play-in tournament?
Philadelphia would love to clinch a top six seed in the East. They are currently two games behind the Indiana Pacers for the No. 6 spot in the conference. Every game moving forward will be of the utmost importance. The 76ers can realistically sneak out of the NBA Play-In Tournament, but they need to perform well down the stretch.
Joel Embiid's return may give the 76ers a much-needed boost.
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