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PHILADELPHIA — In the Philadelphia 76ers' first game after the All-Star break, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all played and didn’t get injured midgame. That’s a notable development — and something so mundane being so significant represents how brutal this Sixers season has been. For Embiid specifically, this season has been a nightmare.
Embiid played 27 minutes of the Sixers' 124-104 defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics, scoring 15 points to go along with four assists and three rebounds. As he continues to deal with issues in his left knee, the big man is trying to play as often as he can, helping his team overcome its own awful start to the season.
Still, he's not the same guy he once was. He admitted that he's not playing at the MVP level he once did.
“The way I was playing a year ago, it's not the way I'm playing right now,” Embiid said. “It sucks but I believe I just probably need to fix the problem and then I'll be back at that level. But it's hard to have the trust [in your body] when you're not yourself.”
Joel Embiid fighting through knee issues as 76ers hunt for playoffs
Embiid being healthy enough to play but still so noticeably injured has garnered no sympathy from most outside observers. Had he not missed a significant chunk of last season, he would have been in great shape to repeat as MVP. It wasn’t that long ago that he was averaging more points per game than minutes, a Wilt Chamberlain-esque feat that bolstered his case for being the best basketball player on the planet.
“I'm not as dominant as I was a couple of months ago but that doesn't mean I still can't have a lot of impact on the game,” Embiid said. “Just me being out there, I think. helps a lot. Just my presence, ability to attract double teams, getting guys more shots…There's no excuses. It's just the way that it is. Just gotta keep finding ways to, you know, figure it out and get better.”
Embiid remains a formidable defensive presence but his lack of burst has compromised him on offense (and made him less impactful on defense and the glass). Even though he can still shoot and pass, struggling to fight for post positioning or attack off the dribble has made it easier for defenders to anticipate his jumper and keep him in front of them. On a team that lacks playmaking and is still not an optimal three-point-shooting unit, his shortcomings are exacerbated.
Although another surgery on Embiid's knee is not currently in the works, something has to be figured out. If these issues are simply ones Embiid has to learn to live with, he needs more time to figure it out before he can be expected to play like the 30-point-scoring machine he once was.
The 76ers being worse than they have been the last few years — roughly 50 wins and contending for a top seed in the Eastern Conference — is mostly because of Embiid's knee troubles. But the fact that they’re this far below that level — 20-35, still outside of play-in range — is the fault of the rest of the roster, the coaching and the front office. Embiid's lack of availability this season has laid bare how much weight he has carried for this franchise. His time as the primary load bearer is running out.
The play-in tournament is keeping the 76ers' playoff hopes alive, though scrapping their way to the main dance only earns them a series against a juggernaut, possibly the Celtics. If Embiid can get back to the level he was, the Sixers could rip off a surprising playoff run. But that “if” is bigger than the seven-footer himself.
“I'll get there,” Embiid said about getting back to his “dominant self.” He knows he's capable of so much more — and he's eager to prove it.
