Of the handful of disappointing teams in the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of them. Granted, Joel Embiid has missed every game thus far, and Paul George only recently returned to the floor. With the former set to return Tuesday night, do the 2-7 Sixers have any chance of resurrecting their season? NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins weighed in on the matter on First Take.
76ers ‘Have No Choice’ To Turn Season Around, Per NBA Analyst
Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid Returns For NBA Cup Opening Night
The controversy surrounding Embiid’s absence from playing 76ers basketball was all the rage when the season kicked off. Then, his incident involving a locker room reporter that led to a suspension kept Embiid out just a little while longer. As the NBA Cup commences Tuesday evening, so do the 76ers in their bid for just the NBA’s second go-around of the in-season tournament. As for Embiid, he will be in attendance, not on the bench, but on the floor.
Philly is currently in twelfth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Should they be there? Probably not. If Embiid had been ready for the start of the season, the 76ers would likely be in a better spot. Nevertheless, the climb begins now, and Embiid has to lead the climb. Otherwise, the 76ers are doomed to fail this season. Unfortunately, Tyrese Maxey is now also down and out, which was shot to the heart for the Sixers. However, with Embiid drawing back into the fold, George healthy and playing, and a respectable supporting cast of Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond, Jared McCain, and surprise standout Guerschon Yabusele, do the Sixers have a chance at turning around their season? If you ask former NBA player and First Take guest Big Perk, there are no other options.
“They don’t have a choice, they don’t have a choice. They went out this offseason and had the biggest offseason addition in Paul George, and when you have a guy in Joel Embiid, whose prime is not like any other superstars prime because of his injury history, you have to capitalize on the moment now, they don’t have a choice. If they don’t make it to the conference finals, at least, this season, they would be considered one of the biggest failures in NBA history…they have no choice but to get this right.”
Perkins would compare this Sixers team to the Brooklyn Nets team comprised of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. That experiment crashed and burned quickly. Perkins believes a fate similar to those Nets could lie ahead for the Sixers if they don’t get this season realigned. Embiid’s return is critical for that to happen.
Avoiding Injuries Is Philly’s Only Chance
Across the board, the NBA is injury-rattled, and it seems like a star player or two hits the pavement weekly. With Maxey going down, the Sixers lose a significant scoring threat that will need to be picked up by others like George, Oubre, and Caleb Martin. The brunt of the offense has to come from Embiid, though, and he likely knows that. Yet, it is not the offense he provides that will propel the Sixers on an upward trajectory. It will be his ability to stay healthy and avoid the injuries that keep him out for several games at a time. The Philadelphia 76ers nor Joel Embiid can afford that. Can they turn the season around? Yes, but if their team-wide crux remains health, or lack thereof, this season will fall short, as the seasons before have.
