CAMDEN, N.J. — Philadelphia 76ers famous person Joel Embiid spoke to the media Thursday afternoon for the primary time since he suffered a knee damage a month in the past and stated he hopes he’ll be capable to return someday earlier than the common season is over.
“That is the plan,” Embiid stated after Philadelphia practiced Thursday forward of a recreation at dwelling towards the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night time. “Clearly every part has to go proper, so far as getting wholesome and being as shut as I am alleged to be. However yeah, that is the plan.”
Embiid, 29, was within the midst of a historic season when Golden State Warriors ahead Jonathan Kuminga inadvertently fell on his left leg throughout a scramble for a free ball in Philadelphia’s 119-107 loss to the Warriors in San Francisco on Jan. 30. He had been averaging 35.3 factors, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per recreation this season.
The crew introduced Feb. 6 that Embiid had undergone a process “to handle an damage to the lateral meniscus in his left knee” and that he can be reevaluated in 4 weeks, which is subsequent Tuesday. Embiid stated that there is no such thing as a timeline for his return however that he continues to be ok with his rehab.
Embiid stated that he in the end selected to have the process carried out after assembly with 5 specialists and that he nonetheless plans to play for Group USA within the Paris Olympics this summer season, well being allowing.
“I feel once you take a look at what unfolded and what we noticed, there was just one choice, and it was to go the route that I did,” Embiid stated.
Editor’s Picks
The NBA’s reigning MVP, Embiid was on tempo to common extra factors than minutes performed when he received harm — one thing solely Wilt Chamberlain, through the 1961-62 season, has ever carried out.
Embiid had a streak of 16 consecutive video games of 30 factors and 10 rebounds this season, matching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the second-longest streak ever behind Chamberlain. Embiid additionally scored 30 or extra factors in 22 straight video games — together with a 70-point efficiency towards the San Antonio Spurs — and was on tempo to steer the league in scoring for a 3rd consecutive season.
“That is why it was extraordinarily disappointing,” Embiid stated, “as a result of I used to be on a roll and I felt like I wasn’t even near the place I needed to be, body-wise and basketball-wise, as a result of I wasn’t at my greatest, so I felt like there was nonetheless one other degree that I might go to. It was very disappointing. However I used to be having enjoyable, enjoying, getting numerous wins, dominating.
“The 70-point recreation was enjoyable. … I by no means would’ve thought that I might be able to attain 70 in a basketball recreation and having the dominance that I used to be doing. It was enjoyable, nevertheless it’s not over. The mindset is ‘come again if every part goes properly, go from there.'”
He additionally turned the face of the NBA’s new 65-game rule for eligibility for the game’s high particular person honors, together with MVP and All-NBA choices, as a part of the league’s participant participation coverage — notably after he missed Philadelphia’s recreation in Denver towards rival Nikola Jokic as a late scratch after that very same left knee was bothering him throughout warmups.
When requested whether or not that had something to do together with his choice to play within the Warriors recreation, when Embiid was visibly bothered by the knee, he stated that it didn’t — that he had merely been making an attempt to assist a Sixers crew that had been scuffling even earlier than he received harm — and that he would not have carried out something in a different way.
“My mindset is enjoying basketball, enjoying as a lot as I can,” he stated. “For 2 months, I used to be not at 100%, I used to be not even near it. And I simply felt the necessity of giving my all to the crew and simply desirous to win. As a result of I do know I can, you realize, I can add that to this basketball crew.
“So there’s nothing completely different I might’ve carried out. … This was very miserable. However the way in which I additionally take a look at it’s that is one other solution to work on myself, on my physique, and simply get as wholesome as potential.”
A part of the time he has spent away from the courtroom that he has actually loved is getting extra time at dwelling together with his spouse and son, Arthur, a toddler, who Embiid joked now will get upset at any time when Dad has to depart the home.
Philadelphia, in the meantime, hopes to get Embiid again to type quickly. Past his particular person accomplishments, Embiid had lifted up a 76ers franchise that endured yet one more offseason of tumult due to the continuing drama surrounding James Harden and his commerce request — and supreme commerce to the LA Clippers on Nov. 1 — and had Philadelphia sitting in primarily a four-way tie for second place within the Jap Convention when he went down.
Now, Philadelphia sits in a three-way tie with the Miami Warmth and Indiana Pacers for fifth place within the East and is only a half-game forward of the Orlando Magic in eighth. Contemplating the 76ers are 26-8 when Embiid performs, and simply 7-17 when he sits, falling into the play-in event has turn into a severe risk.
Embiid, although, stated that wherever Philadelphia lands within the standings will not affect his choice to return again.
“The identical cause why I used to be pushing [to play] the final couple video games [before I got hurt],” Embiid stated, when requested why he would take into account coming again this season. “I simply love enjoying basketball. I wish to be on the ground as a lot as potential. I solely have about 20 years to do that.
“So any possibilities that I get, I wanna be on the ground. So it would not matter the place we’re [in the standings]. I simply wish to play as a lot as I can and attempt to assist us.”
Regardless of the uncertainty round Embiid, Philadelphia has been aggressive in upgrading the roster. The crew landed arguably the most effective participant moved throughout commerce deadline week, buying sharpshooter Buddy Hield from the Pacers. Hield might turn into the same match alongside Embiid as JJ Redick and Seth Curry have been in previous 76ers iterations.
Philadelphia then landed six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry within the buyout market, giving the 76ers yet one more guard who can area the ground round Embiid, plus one with intensive playoff expertise and management.
Embiid stated that he is optimistic concerning the strikes the crew made and that he nonetheless believes on this group’s potential to make a deep playoff run if he can get again on the courtroom.
“We have been struggling recently, however I consider in all these guys,” Embiid stated. “It occurs. Everyone undergo tough patches.
“I advised [Nick Nurse] after the primary three video games, I used to be like, ‘Man, I want I used to be enjoying,’ as a result of I used to be so excited as a result of I really feel like Buddy, the way in which he is enjoying, I simply felt like I might assist him much more. Kyle, I talked to him, having him right here, I feel he is gonna assist us quite a bit. I feel he is gonna assist me quite a bit. Simply his expertise. After which basketball-wise, he is nonetheless actually freaking good.
“I believed [the front office] did pretty much as good of a job as they may have carried out based mostly on what was occurring that day. However so far as every part else, they’re combating by way of every part, and they should maintain combating to be sure that we maintain profitable.”