When can we expect Joel Embiid to return to the Sixers?
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The Sixers have really missed Joel Embiid’s presence, to put things mildly. The team is 26-8 when he’s in the lineup, and just 7-17 without him.
To put that in perspective, the Sixers have won more than 76 percent of their games when Embiid is in the lineup and have not even won 30 percent of their games without the reigning MVP and back-to-back scoring leader.
The latest from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggests that there may be hope Embiid can get back out there and help his team in time for the stretch run.
Keep in mind that the NBA’s regular season ends April 14. The Play-In (for seeds No. 7-10) runs from April 16-19. And the playoffs begin on April 20.
If the Sixers were somehow able to secure a No. 6 seed or better, that would buy the entire team another week’s worth of rest; like they’ve enjoyed the last couple of seasons.
On the flip side, fighting for their Play-In lives and hoping to earn a seventh or eighth seed for the playoffs might be pretty difficult for a team just looking for some cohesion for the first time in months. As much confidence as we might have in Nick Nurse, the task of reintegrating such a high-usage centerpiece along with new names like Buddy Hield, Kyle Lowry or Cam Payne won’t be easy.
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76ers Missed Veteran Forward for Second-Straight Game vs. Celtics
For the second game in a row, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled without their veteran forward KJ Martin on Tuesday when they faced the Boston Celtics.
According to the Sixers’ injury report, Martin is dealing with a right ankle impingement.
Leading up to Tuesday’s matchup on the road in Boston, the Sixers initially had Matin listed as questionable for the matchup. The veteran was in attendance for the team’s morning shootaround and addressed reporters at TD Garden.
While he didn’t have a definitive playing status at that point, Martin mentioned that he was feeling “a bit better” over the last few days, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Noah Levick.
Hours later, the Sixers confirmed that his status would be out for the second straight game.
Lately, Martin’s been a regular in the Sixers’ rotation after a slow start with the team. Back in late October, Martin’s run with the Los Angeles Clippers was short-lived, as he was involved in the early morning blockbuster trade between the Sixers and the Clippers, which was headlined by the ten-time All-Star, James Harden.
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