76ers’ Latest Slide Shows Just How Much They Depend on Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers have a Joel Embiid problem, and this time it’s not because of his play on the court.

The past couple of seasons for Embiid have been among his most disappointing as a pro. A little over two years ago, Embiid was coming off winning his first MVP award and back-to-back scoring titles, and was well in the conversation for being the best player in the entire NBA.

Heading into 2024, Embiid was on the verge of turning 30 years old, and it looked like he still had not yet lost a step. In January of that year, he scored a career-high 70 points, becoming the ninth player ever to record 70 points in a game and setting the 76ers’ all-time franchise record.

Embiid looked unstoppable and was well on his way to winning his second consecutive MVP and potentially leading the 76ers to a championship. However, none of that even became close to happening. Two games after scoring 70, Embiid suffered a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee in a game against the Golden State Warriors, requiring surgery.

Embiid made it back that season but didn’t look great, and that play rolled over into the following season. Everything was off with the big man; he couldn’t shoot efficiently, drawing fouls was hard, not only on his body, but just getting the calls in general, and moving up and down the court looked almost impossible. His knee was obviously bothering him, and after just 19 games, he was shut down for the year.

Following that train wreck of some odd 18 months, the big man made it back to the court this season, and unlike the last time 76ers fans saw him on the hardwood, this version of Embiid looked like the one of old. His knees seemed rejuvenated, his signature touch on jumpers was back, and he went back to being almost a guaranteed 30+ points scorer a night, something the 76ers were praying was possible.

Things were going great, that was until, like always, another injury came up. This time, it was his shin.

The severity of this shin injury is unknown for Embiid, but so far, it’s caused him to miss the previous three games. In them, the Sixers have not only lost all three, but they haven’t looked good in any of them. Two back-to-back blowout losses to the Trail Blazers and Knicks, and after the All-Star break, a loss to the Hawks, where Atlanta led by 20 at one point, and only trailed for just about four minutes of action.

To put it plain and simple, this 76ers team without Embiid and Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension, is not even close to an Eastern Conference contender, but in all honesty, not that great of a team overall. Due to the two of them being out, this has caused more bench players to jump into the starting lineup, and for two other backend bench guys to start playing meaningful minutes.

You’re going into games with Trendon Watford and Justin Edwards, the 10th and 11th option for the 76ers when they’re fully healthy, playing 15, sometimes 20 minutes a night. On top of that, one of your best bench options, Quentin Grimes, went from being a “sixth starter” for the 76ers, to not even being someone Nick Nurse trusts down in crunch. It’s not shocking, as over his last 16 games, Grimes has averaged about 8.6 points per game, down over six points compared to his first 33 games this season.

And that’s where the concern with no Embiid comes from. Grimes was such a prominent scorer for this offense when Embiid was off the court to open this year, but in his absence as of late, that spark isn’t there. It’s been a struggle for this team to knock down and get points from players.

Tyrese Maxey is still a star for this team, but there are only so many shots that he can hit in a game, and only so much he can do when he constantly has to deal with double teams and defensive schemes made to stop him. As good as VJ Edgecombe has been this season, asking him to be the second option on the floor is not only unfair but also inefficient. Edgecombe has had his highs and lows as a rookie and should continue to develop into a star, but he needs more time.

Without Embiid, the Sixers lack a big-time threat on offense, someone who can not only provide you with nearly 30 points a night but also someone who can open up lanes, take on double teams, and get other guys open. As great as Maxey is, he struggles at that job, and it’s showing through this recent stretch of games.

Seeing stretches like this has to make you wonder how this team transitions throughout the next few years. Embiid is only getting older and even more fragile than he is now, and who knows how much longer he’s going to be a dominant offensive threat for you. Obviously, this injury could be minor, but it just shows you how much this group still relies on Embiid.

We will soon know how much time Embiid will miss, and if it’s an extended amount, say a few months, this team needs to figure things out and quickly. The 76ers sit just a half-game ahead of the Magic for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, and just four wins separate the 76ers from the 10 seed Hornets. Missing the playoffs would be shocking for the 76ers, but anything is possible.

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