Joel Embiid and Injuries. It is a story that has been a prominent part of the book of the NBA for the last couple of years. Over the past eight seasons, the renowned 76ers Center has only played 433 of 637 regular-season games, with a significant portion being missed due to the various ailments he sustained. In light of this, the player had even recently come out with a declaration, as he stated, “If I had to guess, I’d probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career.” Unfortunately, his promise has not saved him from yet another injury.

During the recent matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Memphis Grizzlies, Joel Embiid got his knees into contact with Jaren Jackson Jr. and suffered a fall. Ironically, the incident occurred after Embiid pushed Jackson Jr., causing him to fall and his extended leg to strike the 76ers player as he wasn’t looking down! This sudden turn of events could be described as coming straight out of a Looney Tunes Episode. According to reports, Embiid pulled up lame and did not waste time in asking to exit the game. Displaying a limp whilst heading to the bench, Embiid looked to be in real pain.

The fact that Embiid sustained the injury during this game was unfortunate. After all, he dropped 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists in 35 minutes. It seemed as if the old Joel Embiid had finally made a return! Furthermore, his performance helped to cover for Paul George too. After all, he only made only 2 points in 17 minutes. This was because George had to exit the game after sustaining a knee injury. Unfortunately, the 76ers’ hope that they had left their losing streak behind proved too good to be true. With two of their main players not being present during the last minutes, the 76ers lost their 12 game of the season by a score of 117-111. At 2-12, Joel Embiid and Co. now have the worst win record out of all other NBA franchises this season.

Joel Embiid hadn’t made his season debut until a week ago when he and his squad went up against the New York Knicks. His absence up till that point had been marked thanks to left knee management. The 76ers had a 2-7 win record, then, which wasn’t going to get any better. After the Knicks won by a 111-99 score, Embiid backtracked of his ‘not playing back-to-back’ games statement. Despite this, he missed the next game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, too. The decision fined the 76ers $10,000 for resting Embiid without appropriate justification.

Amid the injury woes, the best course of action for Joel Embiid might be to return to the ‘back-to-back’ pledge. If the injuries keep both him and Paul George sidelined for long, the 76ers will have a hard time coming out of their precarious position.

What is next for Philadelphia 76ers amid Joel Embiid and Paul George injury woes?

The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t the only team that has suffered from injury woes this season. However, they have been the most affected. If Embiid and George stay out for long, then the situation for the franchise can potentially go downhill! Fortunately, the franchise has been provided with some breathing room. According to reports, only three of the 76ers’ next nine games are on the road. Furthermore, only three of the opponents they will face (Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat) in the time period are top-six seeds in their respective conferences.

Even during this period, having one of the two lead scorers on the roster is essential. After all, only six teams have been fortunate enough to finish .500 after a 2-10 start. The Pelicans made the 2022 postseason after a 3-16 start. However, they needed a major in-season trade for CJ McCollum and the Play-In Tournament. As of now, the 76ers have not looked to open up trade talks. Despite the regular season still being in the early stage, time is running out for the Eastern Conference franchise. A decision will have to be made soon.