After suffering a gut-wrenching 131-91 defeat at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs, the Philadelphia 76ers are just half a game ahead of the Orlando Magic for sixth position in the regular-season standings. Even if the franchise cements its place in the postseason, the chances of success are minimal without Joel Embiid on the floor.
Few teams in the league have found a sufficient tactic that prevents Victory Wembanyama from dominating a game on both sides of the ball, so a defeat to the Spurs should not be deemed a disaster. However, this performance lacked energy, invention, and an offensive vision that is capable of instilling belief in fans that this team is capable of a deep postseason run.
Tyrese Maxey's All-NBA-calibre performances have been a vital component in the Sixers' relatively healthy position in the standings. Nevertheless, over recent weeks, it has become clear that his x-factor alone is not enough to carry this team to the promised land of a championship; only one superstar on the roster has the capabilities of that.
Without Embiid, Philadelphia is not a serious contender
Philadelphia's form during the business end of the season has been far from captivating. The 76ers has dropped six of their last ten games, including a humbling 126–111 defeat at the hands of a struggling New Orleans Pelicans team. Yes, the manner of these losses has been nothing short of sickening, but the correlation of Embiid's availability and the 76ers' ability to win games has become blatantly obvious.
During this time period, the Sixers failed to win a fixture when Joel Embiid was not on the floor. The superstar center featured in five of these matchups, in which Philadelphia won four and lost one game. It will come as no shock to any NBA fanatic that the 76ers' success relies heavily on a player who exhibits Embiid's qualities, yet after countless seasons following a similar narrative, it is clear that the franchise has yet to find a solution to this damning issue.
Any team would struggle without the cornerstone of its franchise, especially one with the offensive prowess of Embiid. Despite starting the season with a limited level of fitness, the 31-year-old is averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, while shooting 49.5% from the floor. Most importantly, Embiid's mobility has returned to a level that few believed was possible before the season.
Embiid's dominant stature may have returned, but so has the injury curse that has plagued him for much of his career. Again, Embiid has missed Philadelphia's previous two fixtures and is expected to be unavailable for their next matchup against the Utah Jazz.
Unfortunately for the Philadelphia 76ers, history has shown that Joel Embiid’s availability can become inconsistent at the drop of a hat. If this becomes a reality around the postseason, this squad does not possess the quality to make a deep run. This is a roster that has been constructed to allow Embiid to thrive. Without him on the floor, Philadelphia resembles a lifeless corpse who lack any form of offensive invention.