After shooting just 3-of-9 from the field in Thursday’s loss to Boston, Joel Embiid told reporters he needs to “fix the problem” in his left knee before he can become dominant again, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
The Sixers‘ nightmarish season continued as their arch rivals embarrassed them by 20 points on their home court in their sixth straight loss. Embiid was limited to 15 points in 27 minutes, and Bontemps points out that his nine shot attempts were his lowest total of the season for a game in which he wasn’t ejected or didn’t have to leave early due to injury.
“The way I was playing a year ago is not the way I’m playing right now,” Embiid said. “It sucks. … I probably need to fix the problem, and then I’ll be back at that level. But it’s hard to have trust when you’re not yourself.”
There was hope that the week-long All-Star break might help Embiid recover from the ongoing physical issues that have limited him to 18 games this season. Embiid still hasn’t fully recovered from the lateral meniscus injury he suffered a year ago, and a report earlier this month indicated that he may need surgery once the season ends.
When he has been able to play, Embiid hasn’t been near the MVP-level force he was in recent seasons. He’s averaging 24.3 PPG, which is more than 10 points lower than a year ago. His 8.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists are also much lower than last season, and his shooting percentages have dropped sharply to 45% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range.
Any thought the Sixers might be giving to shutting Embiid down has to be balanced against their postseason chances. Even though they’re tied for the sixth-worst record in the league, they’re just a game and a half behind Chicago for the 10th spot and a berth in the play-in tournament. There’s still hope that they can sneak into the playoffs, and a healthier roster could make them a tough first-round opponent.
In the meantime, the focus will be on helping Embiid manage his knee issue so he can stay on the court as much as possible.
Embiid added that the week off helped “a little bit,” but he’s still not feeling like he normally does. However, he believes he can help the team even if he’s not 100%.
“I’m not as dominant as I was a couple of months ago, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t have a lot of impact on the game,” Embiid said. “Just me being out there, I think, helps a lot. My presence, my ability to attract double-teams, get guys more shots. It’s just tough because you know you can do so much more. But there’s no excuses. It’s just the way it is. You just have to find ways to figure it out and get better.”