Sixers Hold a 20-36 Record, Currently Retaining Their Top-Six Protected Pick

Corey Chmara

The Sixers are just 1-9 in their last 10 games and haven’t looked worse at any point this season. Despite being relatively healthy, a lack of coaching, effort, and heart has been painfully evident—largely explaining their poor record. This past week, the Sixers resumed play after the All-Star break with a home game against the Boston Celtics. They were without Justin Edwards, Eric Gordon, and Kyle Lowry, though that’s hardly an excuse for the disappointing performance they put up. By halftime, the game was essentially over, although the Sixers made a few attempts to claw their way back in the second half.

David Dow/Getty Images
Against Boston, Embiid, George, and Maxey combined for just 48 points on 16-of-33 shooting. The Sixers allowed Boston to shoot nearly 45% from three (24-for-54) and struggled to find any rhythm offensively. Aside from a few flashes, the overall effort from the team was dismal. The Sixers fell to Boston 124-104 in a game many—including myself—thought they had a real chance of winning, given the supposed sense of urgency from the players, coaches, and fans.

Following the loss to the Celtics on Thursday, the Sixers stayed in Philly for a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, who came into the game with the same 20-35 record. Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes were the only players to show up, with Maxey dropping 31 points and Grimes adding 16. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Despite missing D’Angelo Russell and Cam Thomas, the Nets pulled off a 105-103 upset, despite being 11.5-point underdogs. 

In this game, Joel Embiid didn’t play in the fourth quarter. It’s unclear whether this was a coaching decision due to his poor performance or a precaution related to the lingering knee issues that have kept him out of several games this season. Shams Charania of ESPN reported yesterday on Twitter/X that the 76ers and Joel Embiid are consulting doctors and considering alternative options on his injured knee as there has been no improvement on the matter. 

Embiid has already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls as he undergoes further imaging on his knee. The expectation is that he’ll be sidelined for the remainder of the season to prevent any further damage. With the Sixers sitting at 20-36 and a top-six draft pick in play, it’s likely we won’t see him suit up again this year. This season has turned into a lost cause for the team, and there’s no point in risking additional injuries to a player who’s dealt with them throughout his career.

David Dow/Getty Images

This week, the Sixers will face the Chicago Bulls on Monday in Philadelphia before traveling to New York to take on the Knicks on Wednesday at 7:00 PM EST (ESPN). After that, they’ll have two days off before hosting Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night at 8:30 PM on ABC.

At this point, Embiid’s status remains uncertain—not just for this week’s games but potentially for the rest of the season. I’d be shocked if he plays again this year, not only because of his injury and the team’s lackluster performance but also considering that both Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have missed significant time due to injuries. It’s a shame things have come to this, but if the Sixers want to build around Embiid for the long term, shutting him down now might be the smartest decision.

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