Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid is the latest NBA Masked Man

Winning streak

After all, what can you say about a team on a 15-game winning streak? Anything goes right? And with a team winning, there is the sense of calm patience over Joel Embiid’s return. After all, it appears that the team has used Embiid’s absence to fine tune the rest of the roster. After all, playing alongside Joel Embiid dictates much of the offense and defense runs through him.

But without him? The team learned to step up as a team. And they are still learning. Ben Simmons has filled in as the on-court leader. The wiley veteran play of Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli have been tremendous from the perimeter. And the entire roster has found ways to contribute.  Still, this is all well and good in regular season. But to win in the NBA Playoffs, the team will need all hands on deck.  That means Joel Embiid needs to come back.

Back to the masked man

There is no official timeline for Joel Embiid’s return. Can he appear in game one of the NBA Playoffs? Possibly, but unlikely.  After all, he has to feel comfortable playing in his mask. That will take time.

As for our predictions? We believe game two of the first round feels realistic at this point in time. And that will balance the team’s need to have Embiid on the court, with the team’s need to give him plenty of time to recouperate.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons Markelle Fultz 1st postseason experience

The Philadelphia 76ers have certainly taken the scenic route to get here. But with the team likely to land their 16th consecutive win, I don’t see how anyone can overlook these 76ers.  Yes, this team needs Joel Embiid back. But this team is not just about Joel Embiid any longer.