Joel Embiid is widely regarded as the most important player on the Philadelphia 76ers. At the start of the season, high expectations surrounded him as the leader of a team that was expected to contend for the top spots in the NBA. However, physical setbacks have hampered the center’s ability to fully embrace that role, and now details of his struggles have emerged.
“The 76ers are continuing to evaluate and consult with doctors and specialists regarding the troublesome left knee of Joel Embiid,” NBA insider Shams Charania said on ESPN. “His status for the rest of the season, and certainly for the next few games, remains very much in question and up in the air.”
Charania then revealed a concerning detail about Embiid’s condition: “The way he looks this season, playing through, from what I’m told, regular and frequent injections in his left knee—this is something the 76ers have to make sure they huddle with Embiid and make the best smart decision for him moving forward. As it stands right now, Joel Embiid simply cannot continue in this way.”
This revelation offers a new perspective on the center’s performance this season. Until now, many critics had targeted Embiid for not doing enough to help the 76ers in a difficult season, pointing out, for example, the fact that he’s not playing in back-to-back games. However, knowing the physical toll he is enduring before each game, the 30-year-old star’s commitment is now beyond question.
Tyrese Maxey #0 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during a game against the New York Knicks on April 30, 2024 in New York City.
Embiid’s performance this season
The physical problems that have plagued Joel Embiid during the 2024-25 NBA season help explain his underwhelming performance. He has played in only 19 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 58 games this season, contributing to an 8-11 record in those contests.
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When he has been on the court, the center has averaged 23.8 points—his lowest scoring average in the past five seasons, and a stark contrast to the 34.7 points per game he posted last year. Additionally, Embiid has contributed 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Embiid isn’t the only player struggling
The 76ers’ struggles this season are not solely attributed to Joel Embiid’s knee issues. Another of the team’s key stars, Paul George, recently revealed that he, too, has been receiving pain-relief injections to make it through games.
“I’m hanging in there,” George said in an interview with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps when asked about his physical condition. “I’m taking some sorts of medicines to kind of, I guess, play through pain. But yeah, I’m going to try to give everything I’ve got.”
With two of their top three players battling through these physical challenges, it’s understandable that the 76ers are struggling this season. Tyrese Maxey has stepped up as the team’s leader on the court, with performances that rank him among the league’s most impactful players. However, even with his efforts, Philadelphia has found it difficult to compete in the Eastern Conference.
