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The Philadelphia 76ers hope to have superstar center Joel Embiid back in the lineup by the start of the playoffs.
According to John Clark From NBC Sports Philadelphia, sources said the Sixers are “hopeful” Embiid can return in two to three weeks after missing the last 23 games due to surgery to repair a meniscus injury in his left knee .
Clark added that 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said Thursday that Embiid has been on the court “almost every day” lately.
Philadelphia’s final regular season game will be against the Brooklyn Nets on April 14, meaning that if Embiid does indeed return in two to three weeks, he will be back just in time for the playoffs.
At 38-31, the Sixers are currently outside the top six in the Eastern Conference. They’re the No. 8 seed, and if they can’t overcome the 1.5-game deficit between them and the sixth-ranked Indiana Pacers, they’ll have to go through the playoff play-in tournament.
While not an ideal path, a healthy Sixers team led by the reigning NBA MVP in Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey would be heavily favored to advance through the play-ins and playoffs.
When healthy, Embiid has been a dominant force again this season, averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 blocks per game in 34 games.
This follows Embiid leading the NBA in scoring average in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.
While Maxey is a burgeoning star in his own right, the Sixers haven’t been the same during Embiid’s absence, as the vast majority of the offensive burden falls on Maxey’s shoulders.
Since Embiid’s last game on Jan. 30, the Sixers have fallen in the Eastern Conference standings, going 9-14 over their last 23 games.
Even with Embiid, the Sixers haven’t been able to get the job done in the playoffs in recent years, getting eliminated in the second round or earlier in each of the last six seasons.
This suggests there’s no guarantee Philadelphia will go on a deep run if Embiid returns, but without him it’s hard to imagine the 76ers making it out of the first round if they even make it past the tournament play-in.
Maxey, Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr., Buddy Hield, Cameron Payne, Kyle Lowry and Paul Reed make up a solid core when Embiid is out, however, it doesn’t compare to some of the other star-laden lineups in the East. Conference on teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.
Time is running out for Embiid to return to the fold this season, but Clark’s report suggests there is at least some belief within the organization that there is still a chance for him to return and d have an impact come playoff time.
