The new year is always a good time for basketball fans to witness some action and Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center certainly delivered for the fans as seven-time All-Star and the defending 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid set to take the field in the first game of the season for the Philadelphia 76ers with the New York Knicks today.
With a left knee issue sidelining him at the beginning of the season and the subsequent three-game suspension, fans can laud the return of Embiid for a Sixers team that has been on a horrendous 2-7 start, ranking almost at the nadir of the Eastern Conference. Those around him, friends and fans alike, expect him to be at the basketball court to provide the much-needed skills and voice to help effect change.
Following conditions health, and suspension Embiid’s return is likely to energize a team eager for a win. The Sixers are on the cusp of playoff contention, and when you have an MVP candidate in a team you can always count on big numbers. That’s what teammate Caleb Martin said during the shootaround, “It’s the right step in the right direction we’re trying to get to.”
In the case of Philadelphia, it is impossible to mention the addition of a healthy and motivated Embiid to the roster as irrelevant. In a waspish move on Tuesday morning, while jogging during the workout, Embiid wore a sharp look on his face. The star center shot free throws, post-ups, and jump shots — all part of his stretching exercises. LT is expected to provide stability and goal-scoring for the team apart from defending in the paint.
In this season, Embiid will play with nine-time All-Star Paul George who also began the season with a bone bruise, and the young shooting guard Tyrese Maxey. Combined, they make the Sixers ‘Big Three’ that can help propel the team to contending status in the Eastern Conference. But their path to success has already met some obstacles—Ladbrokes still comprises three players, and this team has never played a game together yet.
The Sixers, who won a hard-fought overtime game with Charlotte would now need to play the remainder of the season to earn a playoff spot. Traditionally according to records that date back, only 20 teams of the NBA have ever recorded a place in the playoffs beginning season 1-6 or 0-7. Since 1994 only three teams with such a start were able to enter the playoffs – the 2003-04 Miami Heat and the recently 2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans.
A coaching staff in Philadelphia, with Nick Nurse at its helm, has publicly declared its intention to control Embiid’s minutes throughout the season. To ensure he remains fit for the playoffs should the team qualify, Nurse has suggested that he will be sparing him in back-to-back games. The Sixers are going to be very careful with how they handle Embiid physically to get him to the playoffs in his best shape, which has been the death of the Sixers in previous seasons due to injuries.
While fans may be disquieted by his sporadic appearances — not to mention the hefty prices for tickets to a game where the MVP is barely active — the team insists on the big-picture outlook. On the opening night, Nurse said this: “Our medical is first and foremost.” Joel is there, the front office, myself, and everybody is weighing in. … We’re just trying to do something a little different and get him there (to the playoffs) this time.”
Given Embiid’s injury history, the team is cautious, as any setbacks could push them toward the draft lottery rather than the playoffs. Embiid himself has acknowledged that he won’t participate in back-to-back games this season. He’s scheduled to sit out Wednesday’s game against Cleveland, with the next back-to-back on December 3 and 4, as the team continues to monitor his health closely.
Embiid’s debut is also not only basketball but inspiring morale that boosts the players and jogging machine for the 76ers and their fans. His banners can be seen hanging all around the Wells Fargo Center, and we are all thrilled to have him back. Everyone on the squad knows what needs to be done to integrate him back into the starting five but the potential there is bright what he offers for the team.
Nevertheless, the organization, the Sixers, knows that adding new parts to the on-court puzzle and as well as including stars who have been sidelined like Embiid, comes with its own set of issues. Caleb Martin used words close to the heart when he said, ‘You’ve got to expect there to be hiccups and kinks and stuff like that.’ You know that is what happens when you put a new team together and everyone gets pieces back.”
As for the Sixers, the current season is more about proving that the team is strong and cooperating no matter the head of the team, their MVP. Embiid’s return to the roster helps big in achieving their playoff goals, but they also have to factor in each game very very carefully due to the risk of re-injury.
As the Sixers continue trying to fight their way back into the belief that the season isn’t lost and they have a shot at making a run for the championship, Embiid coming back represents the light at the end of the tunnel for an organization that is eager for bring a championship in the city of Philadelphia. The crowd is waiting for this guy and the team’s management is optimistic and patient waiting for the moment when becoming more tense in every game will produce a positive result.
The anticipation of the return of Joel Embiid is good news for fans, and those active in sports betting, specifically. To some basketball lovers betting, Joel Embiid’s return completely changes the way bettors approach wagering on the Sixers. When healthy, having Joel Embiid in the lineup and the lineup comprises Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, any choice that the Sixers have becomes quite interesting in the Eastern Conference.
Bettors who consider putting their money at risk in the NBA will be privileged to find all the betting options provided by OKBet: odds for every game and future ones on playoffs. Whether it is placing a wager on the Sixers to make it to the playoffs or forecasting Embiid’s performances, OKBet exists for fans wagering services are for betting aficionados.
The comeback of Embiid makes the Sixers an intriguing team to follow and, with the right luck, a serious championship contender. Considering the availability of sports betting in OKBet the fans can always make the games even more exciting while watching the Sixers play leading to a winning season.
