of philadelphia 76ers They were supposed to be the favorites this season. Instead, Philly has been tied for the NBA's worst record since the start, dropping to 1-6 on the year after another loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
It's no secret why the Sixers are struggling. Joel Embiid has not yet played in a game as he works his way back from what the team is calling a “managed left knee.” Paul George also returned to action this week after missing the beginning of the season with a knee injury. Embiid is finally scheduled to make his debut in Tuesday's game vs. new york knicksthe Sixers suffered another scary injury in the form of star guard Tyrese Maxey's hamstring strain.
Maxey expected to miss at least two weeks After leaving the Clippers game with a hamstring injury.. Here's the latest from ESPN's Shams Charania:
The Sixers are in big trouble. Yes, there are over 70 games left in the season. Yes, the Eastern Conference is trash once again. Embiid may be back, but Philadelphia has some serious issues that could derail this season before it even gets underway.
Embiid is talked about mental hurdles He's just going through his comeback from this injury. At this point it is impossible to know what condition he is in. Embiid seems to miss half of games every year and has battled knee and back injuries since joining the league in 2014. It's a scary injury for a 7-footer. , a 280-pound center who turns 31 in March. The wear and tear on Embiid's body will never go away, and the Sixers' season got off to such a bad start that the idea of purely “saving him for the playoffs” now seems far-fetched. I can feel it.
The Sixers need Embiid to be available and lead the team while Maxey is out. Maxey emerged as the second-best star behind Embiid last year, using his superhuman speed to shock Philadelphia's stagnant offense. When the Sixers signed Paul George this summer, it was supposed to form a bespoke “Big 3” that would give Embiid a few days off, but George's own nagging injuries slowed him down.
Of course, there's no replacement for a talent like Embiid, but injuries to star players have exposed the Sixers' lack of depth. Caleb Martin is currently not shooting, and his actual shooting percentage is 44.9, which is well below league average. Kelly Oubre Jr. has improved a bit, but he's still shooting just 30 percent on the year and has just eight assists to 12 turnovers so far. I feel like Kyle Lowry (who was very good) and Eric Gordon are too old to be relied on for significant time every night.
The Sixers' margin for error is rapidly shrinking. While it's still too early to start worrying about the 2025 NBA Draft, Philly also has a unique situation with its pick.
The Sixers' 2025 first-round draft pick will be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but their top six will be protected. Philadelphia is currently tied for the best odds for the No. 1 pick, but that won't last long if Embiid returns. The question is, if Embiid is set back with an injury, or if George or Maxey face an even longer absence… is there a scenario where the Sixers punt the season to protect the pick?
To be honest, there are still method There's too much basketball time for that kind of talk. More than two weeks into the new season, nothing has changed in the Sixers' overall picture. If Embiid (especially) and George are healthy for the playoffs, Philadelphia will be a very tough battle for any team. Even at 1-6, the Sixers still have some championship rights that many teams higher up in the standings can't match.
The Sixers' profit margins are shrinking day by day. With Maxey out for at least a few weeks, Philadelphia needs to show it can win games before its place in the standings starts to be really in jeopardy.
