After missing seven consecutive games due to injury management for his left knee, Joel Embiid returned to the floor tonight. The season so far has been full of difficulties for the 30-year-old. And it seems like all the noise around his absence and the team’s poor run has started to take a toll on the Sixers superstar.
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After securing a win against the Chicago Bulls at United Center, Embiid talked to ESPN. The seven-time All-Star said that going through the knee injury and its prolonged recovery has been troublesome.
He has struggled with his left knee for a few months and “depressing” is the only appropriate way to describe that ordeal. Embiid said, “Just trying to figure it out. There’s no injury. Just between the swelling … we’ve got to get it figured out. That’s it.” The Sixers star claimed that he has been trying his level best to figure a way out, but so far he hasn’t had a breakthrough.
The center added that he’d have loved to play every game for his franchise. Considering the turmoil he’s in, it hasn’t been easy for him to sit out games while his team struggles. He said, “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying because I would love to play every single game.”
https://twitter.com/MaskedBiid/status/1865897555013595326?t=jzMbcLGtP-HX4Q-DlaCP6g&s=08
All of this has left Embiid feeling extremely unhappy and frustrated. The 2023 MVP missed the first nine games of the season due to the same issue. Interestingly, during the last stretch of his hiatus, the 76ers had won three of their last four games, showing impressive growth after their initial struggles.
However, they were certainly very pleased when his status was upgraded from ‘Out’ to ‘Questionable’ for the Bulls game. In the matchup in Chicago, Embiid dropped 31 points with 12 rebounds and four assists to help his team to a 108-100 victory.
With this win, the 76ers now have a record of 7-15 in the league and are currently occupying the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference.
