Sixers End 9-Game Skid, But Embiid's Season Comes to a Close

Corey Chmara

Joel Embiid’s 2024-25 campaign has officially come to an end, as the Sixers announced on Friday that he has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to being medically unable to play, according to Shams Charania (ESPN). While this news is both disappointing and unfortunate, it was also expected—especially given that the Sixers currently sit at 21-38 and are trying to retain their top-six protected first-round pick. If their pick falls outside the top six, it would be conveyed to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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This past week was an unpredictable one for the Sixers, as they played at home against Chicago, on the road in New York, and then back in Philly against Golden State. Their week opened on Monday with a home matchup against the Bulls, who ruled out center Nikola Vučević before the game. The Sixers, already without Joel Embiid and Justin Edwards, looked completely outmatched as the Bulls cruised to a dominant 142-110 victory. This was easily the most disappointing game of the season—possibly the worst performance I’ve seen from a Sixers team in recent years. At one point, the Bulls led by as many as 50 points in the second half (yes, 50). Nearly everyone played poorly, and it felt like the entire team had mentally checked out, knowing this season is all but over.

Following Monday’s embarrassing loss, the Sixers had a day off before heading to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks. The game started off ugly for Philly, but to their credit, they battled back and even briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter. However, Jalen Brunson took over down the stretch, scoring 14 of his 34 points in the final period. Despite strong performances from the new trio of Maxey, George, and Oubre—who combined for 82 points—it wasn’t enough, as the Knicks secured a 110-105 win.

Then came perhaps the weirdest game of the season. The Sixers hosted the surging Golden State Warriors, who had won seven of their last eight games. Although Jimmy Butler sat out with a back injury, the Warriors still entered as sizable favorites. However, the game took an unexpected turn, as Quentin Grimes exploded for a career-high 44 points on 18-24 shooting, essentially swapping roles with Tyrese Maxey, who struggled mightily, scoring just five points on 2-14 shooting. Guerschon Yabusele (18 points), Paul George (17 points), and Kelly Oubre (20 points) all made key contributions, but it was Grimes who stole the show. The Sixers finally ended their nine-game losing streak, securing a 126-119 victory.

While there are numerous reasons for the Sixers’ struggles this season, one overlooked factor is the inconsistent play of Tyrese Maxey. Granted, it’s difficult to establish rhythm when the lineup is constantly changing, but Maxey has had his fair share of up-and-down performances. One game, he’ll drop 30 points; the next, he’ll go 1-9 from the field and score just five, as he did against Toronto back in April. I’m not blaming Maxey for the team’s struggles, but if the Sixers want any sort of foundation moving forward, he needs to become more consistent as a shooter.

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Looking ahead, the Sixers have four games this week—two at home and two on the road. They’ll face the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday in Philly, a matchup that should favor them given Portland’s overtime loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Then again, at this point, what real advantage do the Sixers even have? After Monday’s game, they’ll fly to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Tuesday—a team that has recently regained key players, including Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. On Thursday, they’ll head to Boston to face the Celtics, a brutal matchup for just about anyone. That game tips off at 7:30 PM on TNT, thankfully one of the last nationally televised games for the Sixers this season. Finally, they’ll wrap up the week at home on Sunday against the Utah Jazz.

As for predictions? I’m expecting a 1-3 week, though 0-4 is entirely possible. If things break their way, maybe they finish 2-2, but if I had to bet, I’d say 1-3.

At this point, there’s not much left to look forward to—aside from the season finally coming to an end. While the Sixers are just four games out of the final play-in spot, I don’t believe the front office or coaching staff even wants them to compete for it. The bigger priority seems to be securing their top-six draft pick rather than risking losing it for a meaningless play-in push.