After their thrilling win on Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers have now wacked up 24 wins on the season, which matched their entire total from the previous campaign. And it’s all thanks to the biggest addition they have made this season — all without really making a single move on the trade market or anything.
This addition is basically what they already on deck — a healthy Joel Embiid. Just a few months ago, it seemed like the former MVP can never get back to the level of basketball he is capable of. Now, he is confidently back to playing at an All-NBA level, which is one of, if not the main reason, for the 76ers getting back into the playoff picture this season.
On the anniversary of his 70-point game two years ago, Embiid notched a triple-double, racking up 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, absolutely dominating his Rockets counterpart in Alperen Sengun. He put the team behind his back late in the game, allowing them to come back in the fourth quarter and eventually triumph in the extra period. Most impressive is the fact that the played more than 45 minutes in this game.
This is kind of Embiid the 76ers badly need to truly contend, and boy has he been stellar.
The 76ers getting a healthy Joel Embiid back is huge
Embiid player over 45 minutes for only the first time since nearly two years ago, when the 76ers faced the Knicks in the playoffs. As everyone knows, that was the series which he last appeared in. And things have gone downhill for him since then for the most part.
Now, Embiid is averaging 30.3 minutes per outing — a lofty figure for a player who has been under a stern minutes restriction to start the season. Even better is the fact that he is registering 24.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists a night, which shows his impressive across-the-board production despite his more calculated serving of court time.
As made clear by their putrid campaign last season, it does not really matter what the 76ers do on the margings. Their path to title contention starts with having a functional Joel Embiid, who has shown the ability to reprise his MVP-level play even when he is not 100%, albeit in semi-lengthy spurts.
Tyrese Maxey may be the alpha in Philly now, and VJ Edgecombe might be their future, but Joel Embiid is the 76ers. There is no way for them to make noise in the playoffs without him, and having the real him back is the best addition they could’ve ever made this season.