On Wednesday, the Wells Fargo Center will play host to a heavyweight clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat in the NBA’s play-in tournament, with the winner set to earn the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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At the start of the season, the 76ers and Heat wouldn’t have expected to see each other this early in the postseason, but injuries severely affected their respective regular season campaigns and they now have to earn a place in the playoffs via the play-in tournament.
That said, while the injury bug continues to bother both teams, the 76ers could be on the receiving end of a real stinger, as reigning league MVP Joel Embiid has been listed as ‘questionable’ to play on the NBA’s latest injury report due to his left knee still in the midst of recovery. This comes after the center aggravated his knee injury in the first half of the 76ers’ penultimate regular season game against the Orlando Magic, as seen in Bleacher Report’s X[Formerly Twitter] post below.
Joel Embiid went to the locker room after an apparent leg injury pic.twitter.com/uIEDB1gaQn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2024
He managed to finish the game but sat out of their final regular season outing against the Brooklyn Nets to avoid aggravating his knee injury further. So, while Embiid’s inclusion on the injury list is concerning, it’s likely just precautionary as the popular suspicion is that he will likely suit up and play against the Heat. He may not be 100% healthy, but it’s unlikely that he’ll sit out and miss the chance to seal Philadelphia’s spot in the playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers record without Joel Embiid
Injuries have limited Joel Embiid to only 39 games this season and cost him a chance of winning back-to-back MVP awards. However, the difference in the 76ers’ record with and without him in the lineup showcases that he might just be the most valuable player in the NBA.
Per NBA.com, the 76ers are an incredible 31-8 in the 39 games that Embiid has featured in this season. The 79.5% win rate is higher than league leaders Boston Celtics’ win rate of 78%. Without the reigning MVP, Philadelphia has a 16-27 record, a dismal 37.2% win rate.
With a healthy Embiid, the 76ers can go toe-to-toe against any team in the league, and without him, their winning percentage is lower than the Nets, who are 11th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Embiid holds the keys to the 76ers’ fortunes. Philadelphia will hope that he can suit up against the Heat and remain healthy as long as his team is alive in the postseason.
