Philadelphia – Joel Embiid was on the bench and the 76ers were beaten with the horns.
The hopeful season of the championship was a catastrophe for the 76ers. This is the latest withering, seventh straight game to play against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, this is a chip-in that stimulates the buzzer, and benched along with Embiid.
The NBA’s two-time scoring champion, frequently injured Embiid arrived in the fourth quarter with a rough 105-103 loss of a third. Embiid scored just 14 points in 31 minutes, missed all 6 3-point attempts and took the lead until the 76ers were 17-3, finishing with the winner on the horns of Nic Claxton. He was on the sidelines.
Embiid, who signed a three-year, $193 million contract extension in September, declined to comment.
Embiid has been suffering from injuries all season, and was slow to wake up late in the third half when he lost the ball and hit the court. Embiid said earlier this week that he would need to “solve problems” in his left knee to return to his dominant All-Star form.
“What I was playing a year ago isn’t the way I play now,” Embiid said Thursday after losing to Boston on Thursday. “You probably need to solve the problem and then I’ll come back to that level. But it’s hard to trust when you’re not yourself.”
He played just 19 games in 19 of the Six’s 56 games, falling 20-36 as a chance for the berth in the NBA Play-in Tournament Fade.
“I mean getting it, especially because of how big he is, how big he is, and because of his play,” teammate Paul George said of Embiid’s injury. “It costs a sacrifice, but I think the best thing about it is the person in charge… so that was the best thing for me.
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Coach Nick Nurse said the court lineup (including Big Man Gershon Yabsle) had been playing well this quarter, making Embiid the bench fourth.
“They had a good feeling about the game at that point,” the nurse said. “I just wanted them to roll with it.”
Embiid played just 39 games last season due to a torn meniscus on his left knee. The 76ers announced they had surgery in early February of that season. Embiid returned in early April, part of the 76ers playoff run, winning a gold medal with the US Olympic team last summer.
“I think I’ve probably seen him at his best. I can’t really talk about the last few seasons. But for the past four years he’s been pretty dominant every time he stepped on the court.” Ty Maxie said. “I know it’s still holding him back a bit, he’s still fighting here and trying to get his rhythm. Go out there and just become him and it’s difficult. I’m him. I’m trying to lift my head up.”
Earlier this month, Embiid admitted that after undergoing surgery last year, he hadn’t had enough time to fully recover.
“He’s giving us what we can do. He’s not himself, we all know that,” the nurse said. “He’s certainly not someone who’s used to seeing us play at an ultra-high level. I praise him for giving us what we can do.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
