Philadelphia 76ers’ superstar Joel Embiid made his comeback on Tuesday following a two-month hiatus due to a knee injury. The reigning NBA MVP returned to action against the Thunder after being sidelined since January 30th with a left meniscus injury that necessitated surgery.
Embiid was not part of Tuesday’s shootaround initially, but less than two hours before the game against the Thunder, he was upgraded to questionable and eventually took the court.
The return of their key player is significant news for the struggling Sixers, who currently hold the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Without their franchise centerpiece, they’ve slipped down the rankings. There were hints of Embiid’s imminent return when Sixers coach Nick Nurse mentioned last week that the star big man would join the team on a road trip for workouts. Although no specific timetable was given then, his rehab evidently progressed swiftly enough for him to make a comeback this week.
Since Embiid’s absence, the Sixers have struggled, managing only an 11-18 record. Though they’re just 2.5 games behind the No. 6 Indiana Pacers, it seems likely they’ll have to go through the Play-In Tournament for a shot at the postseason. Nevertheless, a healthy Embiid makes the Sixers a formidable opponent. Prior to his injury, they boasted the third-best net rating in the league, and Embiid was a frontrunner for a consecutive MVP title.
Although Embiid’s game count falls short of the new 65-game minimum requirement for MVP and All-NBA honors this season, he leads the league in scoring with 35.3 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds and a career-high 5.7 assists. His partnership with Tyrese Maxey was one of the league’s most potent combinations, setting the stage for a promising playoff run.
With Embiid’s return just before the end of the regular season, the Sixers regained their status as a threat in the Eastern Conference, despite lacking home-court advantage. If they advance through the Play-In Tournament, they are set to face either the top-seeded Boston Celtics or the No. 2 Milwaukee Bucks.
