In their opening game of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers secured a much-needed victory over the Boston Celtics. After a disappointing campaign last year, the 76ers were desperate to start this season on the right foot. Thanks to stellar performances from VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia began the year with a promising 1-0 record.
However, the game’s spotlight on Joel Embiid was less encouraging. The star center made only one of his nine shots, finishing with just four points in 20 minutes of play. Still managing his workload as he recovers from a lingering leg injury, Embiid appeared to be a shadow of his usual dominant self.
Despite earning $55.2 million this season, the 76ers are not overly concerned about his slow start—for now.
### Philadelphia 76ers Make Excuses for Joel Embiid
Embiid was initially not expected to play on opening night. Having missed the majority of the preseason, it seemed he was rushed back into action prematurely. Many argue it might have been wiser to allow him to fully recover, especially considering the team is currently attributing his poor performance to injury and “rust.”
Even after a lackluster outing, Embiid still received some praise. Head coach Nick Nurse said, “I’m super happy he was out there. I think that he played good. I know that’s going to sound silly, one for nine. He just didn’t shoot it very good. I thought he transferred the ball good. I thought he made some good decisions. I thought he took good shots. I thought he protected the rim.”
While Nurse may be content with Embiid’s effort, the numbers tell a different story. Embiid recorded a plus/minus of -16, which is rare in a winning effort. Though he avoided turnovers, his shooting was undeniably poor. Defensively, his impact was minimal—the Celtics shot 46.2% when he was on the floor and 47.3% when he was off, a negligible difference.
Despite the subpar performance, Nurse quickly offered excuses. “He hasn’t done much, right?” the coach remarked. “He’s kind of played a scrimmage and a preseason game, and I think there’s some rust there, but I thought he was moving good and made good decisions, which is really positive.”
### Philadelphia 76ers Need Embiid at His Best
Joel Embiid remains one of the greatest players in Sixers history. When healthy, his dominance is unquestionable. Yet, despite his stardom, the 76ers have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs, even while sharing the court with elite talent.
This season, the 76ers are fully committed to Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George. With the addition of Edgecombe, after just one game, Philadelphia looks poised to be among the NBA’s top teams. They have always been competitive but have yet to take that crucial next step toward championship contention.
The hope is that Embiid will soon regain his full form and lead the team to greater success in the months ahead.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/philadelphia-76ers/joel-embiid-injury-news-nick-nurse/