Joel Embiid’s absence in Philadelphia has created a black gap

DNP Lord Joel Embiid is the poltergeist nonetheless haunting the MVP race and Philadelphia’s title aspirations. When Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeou-Alexander are finally topped, Embiid’s identify will grasp over the successor. Earlier than the Philly heart was jettisoned from the MVP race, he was lapping the sector. Embiid was on tempo for his second scoring crown, main the league in PER by a major margin and doing all that in significantly fewer touches per game than Jokic in Denver.

Embiid’s case for MVP in absentia is stronger than ever as a result of the void he left behind has been a black gap consuming Philly’s as soon as lofty standing within the East. The character of Embiid’s harm has left the group with the expectation he can return by mid-to-late March, however Embiid’s fragile tendons are fickle, leaving Philadelphia in basketball purgatory. After resembling an Japanese Convention contender by way of the primary half of the marketing campaign, their final 15 video games have been the stuff of a lottery crew’s nightmares.

On Sunday, the Sixers suffered a first-quarter TKO towards the Milwaukee Bucks. After 12 minutes of motion towards an Japanese Convention heavyweight, they trailed by 14 and by no means fought again. Their 21-point loss to Milwaukee was Philly’s eleventh loss in 15 video games since Embiid’s left knee first flared up towards Indiana on Jan. 25. The totally wholesome model of the Sixers that was on observe to problem Boston within the East is now flirting with catastrophe. As of Monday morning, Philly is just a recreation and a half from slipping into the seventh seed.

Nick Nurse and Daryl Morey are projecting a constructive outlook about Embiid’s doable availability for the postseason, however the Sixers are at present competing like a crew set to hitch him on the 2024 sidelines earlier than the postseason even ideas off.

As anticipated, Philadelphia’s offense has nosedived into the rocks beneath. In late January, Philadelphia was the sixth-most environment friendly scoring offense per 100 possessions. Since shedding their MVP centerpiece, they’re twenty fourth.

The rudderless offense constitutes solely half of the rot consuming on the Sixers. If anybody ever doubted Embiid’s function as a deterrent within the lane, their 29th-ranked defensive rating within the final month ought to function a reminder of his two-way influence. Since Jan. 26, Philadelphia has surrendered 10 extra factors per 100 possessions, a precipitous enhance from the top-10 protection they resembled in early January when Embiid started managing soreness in his knee.

Tyrese Maxey has stabilized since crashing out in the first few weeks of carrying the offense on his shoulders. The identical can’t be mentioned for Tobias Harris, who has been abysmal. On Sunday, Philly’s $40 million expiring contract shot 3-for-11 from the sector and scored solely eight factors. In February, he’s draining fewer than 1 / 4 of his buckets from distance. Sunday was an aberration for brand spanking new acquisition Buddy Hield, who shot 4-for-13 from the sector, scored solely 11 factors and was complicit in Philadelphia’s lifeless efficiency.

Giannis Antetokounmpo tied Embiid’s understudies Paul Reed and Mo Bamba to the practice tracks and plowed by way of them for a close to 30-point triple-double. The drop off from Embiid to Reed has by no means been extra obvious than the chalk outlines Antetokoumpo left round him within the paint.

After Sunday’s dismantling, there’s a mild on the finish of the tunnel if they’ll survive this stretch. A beneficiant outlook is that Jonathan Kuminga falling on Embiid’s knee might have been a blessing in disguise. As an alternative of managing his ailing knee for a number of extra weeks earlier than he was compelled to decide on between going underneath the knife and lacking the postseason or attempting to push by way of it till the offseason, he ought to have loads of time to heal earlier than the elimination rounds start.

Embiid profitable the MVP final season might have been the worst factor to occur to the 2023 Sixers. He usually runs out of fuel by mid-April or has orthopedic accidents and balky joints flaring up after six months of overusage. Qualifying as a play-in crew can be a dispiriting flip of occasions, however Miami and L.A. have proven that it’s not an insurmountable job.

A yr in the past, Embiid’s sprained proper knee in Sport 3 towards the Brooklyn Nets led to his Sport 1 absence from their second-round matchup towards the Celtics and severely restricted his motion all through that seven-game sequence.

Embiid’s restoration is predicted to be evaluated within the coming days and weeks. The stress to reacclimate him into the lineup as quickly as doable can be robust, however meniscus accidents are sophisticated. The encircling space attaches the quadriceps, PCLs, MCLs and extra L’s than the Sixers can rely in February. Embiid’s knee must be totally healed and strengthened earlier than Philadelphia takes any possibilities along with his well being, however with 25 video games left within the schedule, time is working out.

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