The Philadelphia 76ers‘ rough patch in the NBA regular season shows no signs of stopping. Sitting at a dismal 2-12 record and riding a five-game losing streak, the Sixers are in freefall. Despite a stellar performance from Joel Embiid against the Memphis Grizzlies, the team couldn’t avoid another defeat. After the game, Embiid shared candid thoughts on the team’s ongoing issues.
The Sixers faced a strong Grizzlies squad performing well this season. Memphis took control in the second quarter, outscoring Philadelphia 32-22, and never relinquished their lead. Despite a valiant effort from the Sixers to claw back, they ultimately fell 117-111, prompting widespread frustration among fans and heated discussions on social media about their poor form.
As the team leader, Embiid faced scrutiny from fans and media alike. Having missed the start of the season, this was only his second game back with the Sixers. After the game, the reigning MVP didn’t hold back when addressing the state of the team to the media.
“It’s kind of annoying having to deal with the same things over and over and over,” Embiid said. “It’s been like that my whole career. All I try to do is focus on basketball and trying to make the best living for my family, on and off the court. But it’s unbelievable. It just feels like negativity keeps following us, which I don’t understand why. But it’s a shame, and it doesn’t change the fact that we’ve still all got to be better.”
Tyrese Maxey #0 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Embiid owns up to his role
Embiid didn’t shy away from taking personal responsibility for the Sixers’ struggles, acknowledging areas where he needs to improve. “I need to be better. I need to be perfect. I need to be on point, which I’m going to do,” he stated.
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Despite his self-criticism, Embiid delivered a dominant performance against the Grizzlies, leading all scorers with 35 points. He shot 10-of-21 from the field, hit 14-of-14 free throws, and added a three-pointer, showing why he’s considered one of the league’s elite players.
Embiid and Maxey shut down rift rumors
Recent rumors suggested tension between Embiid and Tyrese Maxey following a brief exchange in a team meeting. Embiid dismissed the speculation, emphasizing the strong bond he shares with his teammate. “That’s the relationship we have — nothing malicious,” Embiid clarified. “I like when people tell me what I’m not doing well and what I need to improve.”
Maxey also downplayed the incident in a conversation with The Athletic’s Tony Jones, explaining, “I wanted to speak up because I felt the need to share that we’re better than what we’ve shown on the floor. There was a lot said, but it is what it is. We said what we had to say, and now we have to figure out a way to move forward. Everyone understands what’s at stake.”
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Embiid added his own thoughts on the situation, expressing frustration with leaks from within the organization. “Whoever leaked that is a real piece of ***. But even then, we talked about a lot of things. I don’t want to get into the details, but that whole thing probably took 30 seconds.”
Paul George injury adds to Sixers’ woes
As if their losing streak wasn’t enough, the Sixers suffered another setback when Paul George left the game with a right leg injury. The hyperextension echoed a similar issue from earlier in the NBA preseason, raising concerns about his availability moving forward.
“He had a hyperextension, same as the preseason, same knee,” head coach Nick Nurse explained. “We’ll find out more in the next few days to see what to expect moving forward.”
