Joel Embiid is starting to look close to being at full strength, which is a statement Philadelphia 76ers fans probably did not expected coming up at any point in time given how nebulous his recovery has been. As a result, the team is now on everyone’s radar, with a good number of people now believing that they have what it takes to come out of the East as long as they are in one piece come playoff time.
According to draft expert Sam Vecenie, Embiid is in his best form since his pre-injury form in the 2023-24 season, where he was the hands-down favorite to repeat as Most Valuable Player before a knee injury flipped the script entirely. Heck, even the numbers are starting to back that notion up.
Since his stinker against the Lakers nearly a month ago, Embiid has bounced back in a huge way. He had missed just three games from that point, turning in stellar averages of 28.7 points, eight rebounds, and 4.3 assists a night while also playing 33 minutes per game, which is likewise impressive in its own right.
Joel Embiid is back to his real form for the 76ers
Despite the clear power shift in Philly thanks to the emergence of Tyrese Maxey as an MVP-caliber player and the rise of rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, this team’s playoff (and title) hopes rest on Embiid being healthy and making the most out of his appearances. Suffice to say that he has ticked those boxes of as of late.
As Vecenie pointed out, this is indeed Embiid’s best form in two years. A lot of people have already written him off due to his nagging and debilitating injuries, yet he is slowly finding a way to regain his dominant form despite being cudgeled into a more streamlined role.
Beyond the numbers, he has shown a lot of encouraging signs. While his rebounding and defense remain far from what they used to be, his body language is positive for the most part, allowing him to at least be competent on those weak points of his. And of course, his strengths have never been more obvious. Even at this juncture, no one can really handle him on the block.
Joel Embiid looking this good does nothing but raise the 76ers’ floor and collective ceiling now and moving forward. And just like that, Philadelphia is once again close to getting back to real contention, contrary to what everyone believed before the season began.