On Friday, the Philadelphia 76ers picked up an impressive 131-127 win over the Houston Rockets on the road, improving their record to 22-9. They trailed by seven points heading into the fourth quarter, but an offensive explosion saw them outscore Houston 41-30 and win the game. Tyrese Maxey was the star of the show for the 76ers in the absence of Joel Embiid. The young guard finished the game with 42 points, four assists, and four rebounds.
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The win was an impressive feat for the 76ers in the absence of their centerpiece. Embiid had missed each of the 76ers’ previous two games as well due to his ankle injury. The reigning NBA MVP injured his ankle after an awkward landing during the 76ers’ December 22 game against the Toronto Raptors. He would return to the game after spending a brief period in the locker room nursing his injury. However, the injury would turn out to be a little more serious.
Per 76ers insider Keith Pompey, Embiid will miss the 76ers’ trip to Chicago and will not be available for the game tonight at United Center. He’s not expected to recover before Philadelphia’s game against the Bulls at home on January 2nd, as per latest reports.
Embiid’s importance to the 76ers is highlighted by the team’s record in his absence. They have played six games without their superstar center and are 2-4 in them. On the other hand, they are 20-5 in the 25 games he has played this season. Embiid’s importance to his team cannot be overstated.
Embiid has been absent from the 76ers’ lineup since suffering the ankle injury against the Raptors in the first quarter. The center had jumped to contest a shot from Raptors center Jakob Poeltl and had landed on the latter’s foot, rolling up his ankle badly. Suns guard Bradley Beal suffered a similar injury and missed almost two weeks.
The 76ers will exercise caution and take no risks with Embiid’s health. They’ll give him as much time as he needs to recover before returning to the court.
Joel Embiid and the 76ers’ terrific season so far
Following their bitter 4-3 series loss to the Boston Celtics after being up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, the 76ers made two big changes. The team fired head coach Doc Rivers and hired former Raptors head coach Nick Nurse to lead the franchise. The 76ers also had to trade James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers after his fallout with President Daryl Morey.
The 76ers’ season was off to a rough start. They lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the season-opener with Harden still on the roster. However, once he left, things changed for the team. They had already recorded two straight wins before he left, but they extended it to eight on the trot.
With Harden off the roster, Maxey has taken over as the team’s starting point guard and has thrived in that role. He’s averaging a career-high in points and assists with 26.3 and 6.5, respectively. Embiid has also thrived, with Maxey orchestrating the offense. He’s also averaging a career-high in points, 35 per game.
The 76ers are third in the Eastern Conference standings, only 1.5 games behind the Bucks, who are second. With Embiid expected to miss at least two more games, the onus will be on Maxey to repeat his heroics from today and keep the 76ers within touching distance of the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
