The Philadelphia 76ers’ early season struggles continued on Friday night, despite the long-awaited return of MVP center Joel Embiid to his regular workload. In a disappointing 98-86 loss to the Orlando Magic, Embiid logged over 33 minutes for the first time this season but couldn’t lift his team out of their worrying slump.
Hopes were high in Philadelphia after an eventful off-season that saw the Sixers make key additions to their roster in an effort to vault into title contention. However, a combination of injury woes, suspension, and lackluster play has instead sunk them to the bottom of the standings, tied for the worst 12-game start in franchise history.
Embiid’s Rocky Return
Friday marked a significant milestone in Embiid’s recovery from off-season knee surgery and a three-game suspension for a preseason altercation. After being limited to under 25 minutes per game in his first two appearances, the five-time All-Star was finally unleashed for his standard allotment of playing time.
However, Embiid looked rusty and out of sync for much of the night. He finished with 20 points on just 5-of-15 shooting, committed six turnovers, and failed to connect on any of his five attempts from three-point range.
Usually with me it takes two or three or four games to get to myself. Today was a big step in the right direction. We’re a new group. We were just not organized.
– Joel Embiid on his return to full minutes
Embiid admitted to feeling fatigued down the stretch as the Magic pulled away in the fourth quarter. His teammates struggled to create open looks and the 76ers’ offense stagnated, continuing a concerning trend to start the year.
Preseason Hype Meets Reality
The 76ers entered the season with championship aspirations after a summer of roster tweaks and sky-high expectations. New additions like Paul George were meant to boost their offense and provide two-way versatility alongside Embiid and explosive guard Tyrese Maxey.
Instead, nagging health problems and early chemistry issues have derailed Philly’s plans. Embiid missed most of training camp and the first three weeks of the regular season. George has sat out seven games with minor injuries. Maxey missed five contests after fracturing his jaw in the same preseason fracas that earned Embiid his suspension.
It’s still an ongoing process of figuring this whole thing out for everyone. That’s no excuse. We’ve got to get better. But I do think we’ll get to a point where we’ll find an identity. It’s unfortunate that it’s taking a little time.
– Paul George on the 76ers’ difficult start
Cause For Concern
The 76ers now sit at 2-10, ahead of only the woeful Houston Rockets in the overall NBA standings. No team in league history has ever reached the playoffs after such a poor start through 12 games.
Despite finally having their centerpiece big man back at full strength, warning signs abound for Doc Rivers’ squad. Their offense ranks in the bottom-third of the league in efficiency. The defense that was meant to be their calling card has been inconsistent at best.
Whispers have already begun about whether changes could be coming if the losing persists, either to the roster or the coaching staff. The pressure is already mounting on Rivers, who has faced criticism for his in-game adjustments and rotation choices.
For his part, Embiid preached patience amid the early adversity. He pointed to the lack of continuity, as the team’s core pieces have scarcely been on the court together. But the MVP also acknowledged the urgency of turning things around quickly in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.
When you have the record that we have, it’d be hard not to look at it. But we’ve had a lot of adversity so far, guys being out. And I think the biggest thing is we have a lot of new guys. You can see on the floor — it’s going to take a while for everybody to be on the same page.
– Joel Embiid on the 76ers’ outlook going forward
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for Philadelphia, as a home-and-home series with the powerhouse Bucks looms next week. If Embiid’s return can’t spark a rapid turnaround, the 76ers could quickly find themselves in too deep a hole to salvage their once-promising season.
All the ingredients are there for the 76ers to be an elite team, as most NBA analysts predicted before the season tipped off. However, the clock is already ticking. It’s on the players and coaching staff to solve the early puzzle before their championship dreams fade to black under the weighty expectations in the City of Brotherly Love.
