Joel The Philadelphia 76ers are considered one of the top teams in the league. They possess the resilience to take on formidable opponents. However, they are recently going through a slump, mostly due to the absence of their MVP, Joel Embiid; losses to the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks underscored the same. However, as Embiid sat out for a third straight game due to knee swelling, the 76ers implemented plans to compensate for their deficiencies, relying on Paul Reed.
Philadelphia successfully overcame their challenges without Embiid, securing a convincing 112-93 victory against the Sacramento Kings. Tobias Harris stepped up as the prominent factor in the win. He elevated his performance with a season-high 37 points, building on his 32-point effort in the previous loss.
Reed encourages the team to keep up the momentum
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Post-game, Reed was enquired about his sentiments about the win. He immediately emphasized that, with the right mindset, the Sixers can triumph even in Joel Embiid’s absence. Furthermore, he stressed that it is important to “Play extremely hard, play together and play with the right spirit,” for the whole squad.
.@Bball_paul's keys to the game:
"Play extremely hard, play together and play with the right spirit."@PennMedicine pic.twitter.com/UaDGVU2F3D
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 13, 2024
In the game, Reed contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds. While it is not his best performance of the season, or better than recent games, it seems like starting him proved to be a successful move for Philly as they sought to fill Embiid’s void.
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Tyrese Maxey impacted the game with 21 points. Additionally, seasoned veteran Nicolas Batum went off for 14 points, hitting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, four of which were three-pointers.
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Embiid might take a few more days to return
Joel Embiid is once again delivering an MVP-worthy performance this season, showcasing remarkable stats. However, fans are worried about his recent knee issues. Moreover, they are also concerned about his MVP title, given the NBA’s new policy on season rewards. The rule stipulates that a player must attend a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for season honors.
Fortunately, Nick Nurse has recently stated that Embiid is on track to make a comeback in the next week. Luckily for fans, they can witness a great return. The 76ers will face the Denver Nuggets next week. In case Embiid returns, it can pit him against his direct competitor in the MVP race, Nikola Jokic. A headline-worthy battle between last season’s MVP vs last season’s finals MVP.
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Throughout averaging 34.1 minutes throughout the season, Joel Embiid is averaging 34.6 points and 6.0 assists, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game to solidify his candidacy for the 2023-24 MVP race.