Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers trailed by as many as 20 points before losing 104-95 to the host Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

This was an ugly game for the 76ers in many respects.

Philadelphia committed 17 turnovers, with Joel Embiid having seven of them.

Embiid had a good game on paper otherwise (26 points, 13 rebounds, plus-10), but opposing center Clint Capela outclassed him on this evening with 18 points and 20 rebounds in just 26 minutes (plus-24 rating). Backup big man Onyeka Okongwu (10 points, 11 boards) also helped the Hawks out-rebound the 76ers 54-45.

Elsewhere, 76ers forward Tobias Harris and guard Tyrese Maxey combined to shoot just 10-of-32 from the field (2-of-10 from three-point range). The team as a whole made just 6-of-30 three-pointers.

The Hawks also went on two separate 12-0 runs: one to cap the third quarter and another one a few minutes into the fourth.

This was a disappointing loss for a 76ers team that had just beaten the 8-3 Phoenix Suns 100-88 despite playing without James Harden (right foot tendon strain). However, the Hawks game showed how much the team misses him right now.

Twitter let its feelings known about the 76ers' performance during and after the game.

76ers got no chemistry, doc rivers coaching is old school, just something isn’t adding up for y’all. You guys got a top tier team on paper, but the adjustments and gameplan isn’t working for the 76ers. https://t.co/fvZhJI3i5A

— Daniel Renn (@Danielrenn7) November 11, 2022

completely unwatchable basketball from the 76ers.

— kat (@m6xey) November 11, 2022

Wanna know why we losing? Capela has 19 rebounds, players like Tobias, who is on a max contract has 1. @sixers

— Big Troll (@NT215_) November 11, 2022

Tyrese Maxey's last three games: 15-54 from the field. He's 1-7 tonight and looks completely unsure of what to do unless he's passing in pick-and-roll to Joel Embiid.

Not impossible, but pretty hard for this team to win without James Harden when he's playing like this.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) November 11, 2022

The Sixers are +12 with Embiid on the floor through three quarters.

The Sixers are down by 14 points

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) November 11, 2022

Getting the ball to Embiid is apparently basketball rocket science.

— Sixers Nation (@PHLSixersNation) November 11, 2022

I don’t know the numbers but the eye test says Tobias Harris has had a rough time with unfinished business at the rim this year.

— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) November 11, 2022

Let this game show you how important James Harden is to this team he makes everybody's job easier when he's facilitating everything specially for Tyrese Maxey

— Dani. (@Danizeh) November 11, 2022

The 5-7 76ers will have a quick chance for revenge when they host the Hawks on Saturday.

Welcome back, Joel Embiid.

The free-throw line missed you.

Embiid shot 16-of-16 from the charity stripe and led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 100-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday. Philadelphia snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 5-6 as the big man returned after missing the previous three contests with a non-COVID-19 illness.

James Harden was sidelined with a foot injury for the second straight game, but Embiid led the way with 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while using his ability to draw fouls to overwhelm Phoenix's frontcourt.

Social media had plenty to say about the five-time All-Star's showing:

https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1589794995196030976

Joel Embiid is locked in defensively tonight. He's been awesome.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) November 8, 2022

big fella's up to 18 points! 📈 pic.twitter.com/V8XtXgCxcx

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 8, 2022

Joel Embiid going 16-of-16 on free throws after 3 quarters pic.twitter.com/98ZK82CNA6

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) November 8, 2022

Sixers lead Suns 33-20 at the end of the first quarter

By far the best effort this season by Joel Embiid and the Sixers which are certainly correlated

— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) November 8, 2022

Probably the Sixers' best quarter of the season. Joel Embiid has been aggressive getting downhill tonight, not settling for midrange jumpers. Already 6 of 6 from the line.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) November 8, 2022

the feed from Embiid! pic.twitter.com/OaIrSw4ru3

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 8, 2022

Pretty clear that Joel Embiid was protesting the Sixers season starting before the Phillies season had ended

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 8, 2022

Excellent opening quarter for the Sixers. Embiid looked damn good after the layoff, good bench minutes from Reed, Harris with a quick trigger from deep. And even some transition defense!

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) November 8, 2022

Continue to be baffled by how open Georges Niang is at times. Him and Embiid just carrying the Sixers in the fourth.

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) November 8, 2022

The game marked an opportunity for the 76ers to regain their form as presumed contenders against one of the top teams in the league, and they came out on fire. The home team built a 13-point lead by the end of the first quarter, and Embiid got to the free-throw line even though his shot was off (8-of-21 overall).

He also impressed on the defensive end, even locking up Devin Booker on one possession. Tobias Harris and Georges Niang scored 21 points apiece.

Booker played well on his way to 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists with more responsibility after Chris Paul was ruled out for the second half with right heel soreness. Booker did have a game-high six turnovers in 43 minutes.

Philadelphia will look to keep things rolling Thursday in a road game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Troel Embiid is officially back.

Fresh off a win over the Bulls on Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers center took to Instagram and made a reference to Aaron Rodgers as he moved to 12-0 over Chicago in his career:

Joel Embiid posted this on IG and captioned it "Aaron Rodgers" following the Sixers win over the Bulls.

Rodgers has a career record of 23-5 vs. the Chicago Bears.

Embiid has a career record of 12-0 vs. the Chicago Bulls. pic.twitter.com/ZG6SL3yFhG

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 30, 2022

Joel Embiid has tweeted his support for Rodgers often in the past, and Rodgers has been outspoken about dominating the Chicago Bears over the years.

During Saturday's game, Embiid knocked down a go-ahead three with 18.1 seconds remaining to help spur the Sixers' 114-109 win in Chicago. The win moved the Sixers to 3-4 on the season as they try to right the ship after an 0-3 start.

Embiid has been stellar despite the Sixers' shaky start, scoring 25-plus points in five of six games while he and James Harden continue working on finding chemistry within the offense.

While it was a relatively meaningless game in the grand scheme of things, Embiid getting back to his trolling ways on social media might indicate the Sixers feel they have the ball rolling after their disastrous first three games.

The Philadelphia 76ers are inching closer to a .500 record following a 114-109 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at United Center, and the team can thank Joel Embiid for helping secure the victory.

Embiid nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining to put Philly up 112-109 before Tobias Harris closed things out with two free throws to help the 76ers secure the victory.

Meanwhile in Chicago...

JOEL EMBIID. pic.twitter.com/VwbB8LFJpu

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 30, 2022

Embiid finished the win with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes.

Following the win, the veteran big man was praised for not only pulling off the game-winning triple, but for remaining undefeated (12-0) against the Bulls in his career:

https://twitter.com/btoporek/status/1586547312989552641

Embiid really really hates Chicago

— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) October 30, 2022

Embiid to the Bulls pic.twitter.com/82vPYXkutL

— Jake (@Procis1on) October 30, 2022

Joel Embiid does not lose to the Bulls

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) October 30, 2022

The Bulls will never beat Joel Embiid, huh?

— Greg Williams (@GregWilliams28) October 30, 2022

The defensive play from Embiid against DeMar DeRozan was as important as the three-pointer he hit to put the Sixers ahead

The Process is working his way back

— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) October 30, 2022

Joel Embiid hits a 3 to give the Sixers the lead with 18.1 seconds remaining

Big time shot form the Big Fella

— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) October 30, 2022

And Joel Embiid then knocks down a triple to give Philadelphia a 112-109 lead late. Man, this guy is pretty good at basketball. #Sixers

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 30, 2022

Embiid was ruled out of Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a knee injury, so fans were understandably ecstatic to have him back on the court against the Bulls.

Entering Saturday's game, the five-time All-Star was averaging 27.6 points, 10 rebounds and 3.2 assists in five games while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor. Considering he's vital to the team's success, the Sixers need him healthy moving forward.

The 76ers are now 3-4 on the season and will be back in action on Monday against the Washington Wizards.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be without superstar center Joel Embiid against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night due to right knee recovery, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

It will mark the first absence this season for Embiid, who is averaging 27.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in five contests this season.

Since missing his first two seasons with foot and knee issues, injuries have been a storyline in Embiid's career.

He largely stayed healthy during the 2021-22 season, playing in a career-high 68 games. He finished as the MVP runner-up behind Nikola Jokić for the second straight year, averaging a league-best 30.6 points to go along with 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.

However, injuries again reared their head in the playoffs. Embiid sprained his right thumb in Game 3 of the team's first-round series with the Raptors and fractured his face late in Game 6 of that series after taking an elbow from Pascal Siakam.

That injury cost him the first two games of the team's second-round series with the Miami Heat, which both ended in losses.

After the season, Embiid had surgery on both his thumb and on a previously unreported left index finger injury.

When asked about his fluke injuries in the 2021-22 playoffs, the 28-year-old told reporters:

"I don't regret it because it's life. It happens. You just got to deal with it. It sucks. Not, not looking for any excuses. But those are just the facts. It sucks. I don't think anybody will believe that I was 100 percent. So it does suck to get to the stage and not be yourself, not being able to do what you want and your body not allowing you to just be yourself. So it sucks, but I have no regrets."

Embiid is both Philly's best offensive player and its defensive keystone, so it is a concern any time he misses time, even though Friday's absence sounds more like load management than an injury.

The Sixers have struggled this season even with Embiid in the lineup, going 1-4, and beating the Raptors without him will be a massive challenge.

With Embiid out, the 76ers will turn to P.J. Tucker and Montrezl Harrell to eat up more frontcourt minutes alongside Tobias Harris.

Mitchell & Ness is bringing in some serious NBA star power.

Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico reported Tuesday that LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and CJ McCollum are among a number of notable names investing in the sports apparel company.

They were joined by actor Kevin Hart and NFL player Odell Beckham Jr., among others.

Novy-Williams noted Fanatics purchased Mitchell & Ness for $250 million in 2021 in a purchase that involved rappers Jay-Z, Meek Mill and Lil Baby. The investors will hold 25 percent of the company, while Fanatics will hold 75 percent of it.

Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin recently sold his ownership stake in the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and NHL's New Jersey Devils, meaning there is less conflict of interest for him and the company to partner with these athletes.

The new investors could be involved in new collaborations or marketing measures given the developing partnership.

Mitchell & Ness started in 1904 as a sporting goods company and expanded to make the uniforms for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933. It is now well known for its vintage jerseys and apparel across a number of sports.

Partnering with some of the NBA's biggest athletes figures to lead to even more designs down the line, and the inclusion of the 76ers' two biggest stars in Harden and Embiid is all the more notable given the company's Philadelphia roots.

After Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters earlier this week that Joel Embiid dealt with a foot injury during the offseason that impacted his condition, the five-time All-Star addressed the situation on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters following the Sixers' 114-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Embiid said he "hadn't done anything in like two months" coming into training camp due to plantar fasciitis.

"Still trying to work my way back, and hopefully, everything goes back to normal," he added.

In the wake of Philadelphia's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, Rivers said Embiid got taken off of his conditioning program because of the injury.

Any injury to Embiid is going to be a cause for concern, especially one involving his foot. He missed the first two seasons of his career due to a broken navicular bone in his foot that took longer than expected to heal properly.

The fact that Embiid has been able to play in each of the first three games is a good sign about where the foot is at in the recovery process.

Embiid did struggle in Philadelphia's first two games of the season. He had 26 points and 15 rebounds in the opener against the Boston Celtics, but he also finished with a game-high six turnovers.

Things got even worse for Embiid against the Bucks. The 28-year-old had another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but his offensive output came on 6-of-21 shooting from the field.

The 15 points marked Embiid's fewest in a single game since Dec. 1, 2021. He had a strong rebound performance on Saturday with 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting and 13 rebounds in 36 minutes.

While the Sixers can feel better about Embiid after his showing against the Spurs, they have a lot of problems that need to be figured out quickly. They are off to an 0-3 start for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

If there's a reason to be optimistic going forward, Philadelphia finished that 2017-18 campaign as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 52-30 record.

Whatever the 76ers are going to do during the 2022-23 campaign, they need Embiid to play at the MVP level he's been at over the previous two years. Saturday was the first time he showed that form this season.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid didn't play like his normal self in Thursday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, and there may be a reason for that.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters Friday that Embiid dealt with plantar fasciitis leading up to training camp, which impacted his normal training and conditioning program, per Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia:

"He had a little plantar fasciitis before the season started—before training camp—and that took him off his conditioning program. And so he's back on that. But listen, he's playing with the right intentions. He just didn't play well, and that's OK, too. That's going to happen. We've still got to win those games."

The Sixers fell to 0-2 with Thursday's 90-88 loss to the Bucks. Embiid finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and one block in about 36 minutes. He made 6-of-21 shots from the floor and 1-of-3 shots from deep in an uncharacteristic performance.

It's not necessarily surprising to hear Rivers mention that Embiid's offseason training was impacted due to injury. The veteran big man alluded to some hiccups in his conditioning following the team's final preseason game on Oct. 12.

"I'm feeling OK," Embiid said, per Levick. "I'm still working my way back. I've had an on-and-off summer as far as being able to really do stuff on the basketball court. But I've got four, five days to be ready, and I'll be ready."

In addition to plantar fasciitis, Embiid had to work his way back from surgery on his right thumb and a procedure on his left index finger in May. He also had to recover from a right orbital fracture and concussion suffered during the 2022 playoffs.

It's worth noting that Embiid had a solid game in Philadelphia's season-opening loss to the Boston Celtics, finishing with 26 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and one block in 37 minutes. He made 9-of-18 shots from the floor and 1-of-6 shots from deep.

Embiid will surely return to form as the season rolls on. He's coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw him average 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks en route to an All-Star selection and second-place finish in MVP voting.

The Sixers will aim for their first win of the season on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs.

What is going on with Joel Embiid?

That was the question on the minds of NBA fans after the Philadelphia 76ers superstar center had another tough night in Thursday's 90-88 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, dropping Philly to 0-2 on the season.

Embiid struggled from the field, shooting 6-of-21 while scoring 15 points. He added 12 rebounds, three assists and four turnovers.

It's not the Embiid we've come to expect, especially in a brutal third quarter that saw him shoot 0-for-4, score zero points, have a shot blocked and turn the ball over three times.

Those struggles weren't lost on NBA Twitter:

Joel Embiid in the second half:

0 PTS
0-7 FG
3 TOV

@PointsBetUSA pic.twitter.com/g1pUATITma

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 21, 2022

This #Sixers loss is on Joel Embiid

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 21, 2022

Sixers aren't gonna sweat 50-50 game outcome, but bigger picture they need Embiid to be way better than he was in the first two games to get anywhere near where they want to be.

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) October 21, 2022

https://twitter.com/btoporek/status/1583262011672391680

Embiid doesn't seem to have the same level of pop/explosiveness that he's had the last couple of years yet? Been a bit off in these two games. A bit slow in ball-screen coverages, not quite as powerful as a leaper. Might be working his way into the season a bit?

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 21, 2022

it’s not even about him playing bad, the body language, the shot selection, the no effort, it’s like we are watching an entirely different player compared to the last 2 years

— Prez💊 ‘ (@PresidentEmbiid) October 21, 2022

Joel Embiid is playing one of the single worst quarters of his career, the offense has zero rhythm and the Sixers can't make a 3. The fans are booing. Still over a quarter left, but not an ideal start to the season for the Sixers.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) October 21, 2022

Joel Embiid looked better to close the second quarter, but he's having a rough time in the second half. Doesn't look right at all.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) October 21, 2022

This might be one of the worst quarters I’ve ever seen from Joel Embiid.

— Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) October 21, 2022

Booing Embiid in game 2. Philly fans are tough as a two dollar cheesesteak.

— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 21, 2022

Embiid is almost universally loved in Philly. If he's getting booed at a home, well, it's going bad.

He wasn't the only culprit in the loss. The Sixers shot 5-of-24 from three. The bench was outscored by Milwaukee's reserves 29-13. And Tobias Harris' head-scratching decision to help off Wesley Matthews on what turned out to be the game-winning three was hard to justify.

WESLEY MATTHEWS CLUTCH https://t.co/MrkKL3ylsq

— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 21, 2022

It all spoiled a superb night from James Harden, who looks like he's primed for a monster season after putting up 31 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, his second straight game exceeding 30 points.

Ultimately, losing to one of the NBA's best teams by two points in a back-and-forth, October showdown isn't the end of the world for the Sixers. After giving up 126 points to the Boston Celtics in the opener, the defense was far better, containing Giannis Antetokounmpo to the tune of 21 points.

But Embiid's struggles to start the season are a bigger concern. Yes, he's faced two of the best defensive teams in the NBA in the Celtics and Bucks. The season is young, and Embiid has been a force of nature the past two years. More than likely, he'll figure it out.

Still, his body language, effort and execution were all out of whack on Thursday. It's the sort of thing that will be discussed vigorously on more than a few sports-radio talk shows in Philadelphia tomorrow.

Despite being one of the most successful NBA players of this generation, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is not content with anything but an NBA championship.

Speaking to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Embiid said not winning a championship feels "like you just frickin' wasted time."

Embiid has a unique perspective because he can directly impact the outcome of a game, meaning losses and wins can be more directly attributed to his play than that of most in the league. He has felt the toll of devastating playoff losses throughout his career.

One of the most indelible images from Embiid's career was his emotional reaction after Kawhi Leonard's four-bounce buzzer beater gave the Toronto Raptors a 92-90 win over the Sixers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Joel Embiid was emotional following the Game 7 loss in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/N5bPgKyhHz

— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2019

Few players in the NBA have more fire and passion than Embiid. He's embraced being the face of Philadelphia basketball, with often positive results for himself and the team.

A five-time All-Star, Embiid has finished second in MVP voting in each of the past two seasons. The Sixers have made the playoffs in each of the previous five seasons, but they have yet to advance past the second round.

Philadelphia's last appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals was during the 2000-01 season. The team defeated the Milwaukee Bucks to reach the NBA Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

No one will argue that Embiid's career has been a failure to this point, but the 28-year-old is still chasing the championship that has eluded the 76ers franchise for 39 years.