Every time it seems like the Sixers‘ season can’t get any worse, somehow it does.
Saturday night, Nic Claxton‘s late tip-in gave the Nets a 105-103 victory at Philadelphia in an oddly important matchup of 20-35 teams. Brooklyn is now just a half-game behind Chicago in the race for the final play-in spot, and the Sixers are left with the sixth-worst record in the league.
Philadelphia fans loudly expressed their displeasure as the Nets built a large early advantage. The Sixers rallied to take a late lead, but weren’t able to close out the game.
Joel Embiid remained on the bench throughout the fourth quarter as coach Nick Nurse stuck with the combination that produced the comeback. The former MVP wound up with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes while shooting 4-of-13 from the field.
Embiid declined to talk to the media after the game, but Nurse explained the physical difficulties his star center is going through (Twitter video link from Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports).
“He’s giving us what he can. He’s not himself, we all know that,” Nurse said. “He’s not, certainly, the guy that we’re used to seeing play at a super high level. But I commend him for giving us what he can.”
Tonight was the 19th game of the season for Embiid, who is still feeling the effects of a lateral meniscus injury he suffered last winter. Surgery appears to be an offseason option to get him full healthy in time for training camp.
The Sixers thought they had a Big Three capable of challenging for the title when they signed Paul George over the summer to team up with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey was also busy on the free agent market, adding numerous veterans with playoff experience.
But George’s season has been affected by injuries as well, and he’s currently dealing with tendon damage in his finger. He confirmed this week that he has had to take injections to be able to play.
The team’s injury list goes much deeper, starting with rookie guard Jared McCain, who was lost for the season with a meniscus tear in his left knee after a promising start. Eric Gordon sprained his right wrist earlier this month and may not be back for a while. Kyle Lowry is sidelined with a right hip injury, and Justin Edwards sprained his left ankle during practice this week.
Amid so much adversity, Philadelphia is nearing the place where losses may be more beneficial than wins. A play-in spot is still within reach, but even if they get there the Sixers would have to win two road games just to earn a first-round matchup with the powerful Cavaliers.
Another concern is this year’s first-round draft pick, which will convey to Oklahoma City if it lands outside the top six. Philadelphia needs an influx of young talent on its veteran roster, and any move up the standings would place that pick at greater risk.
We want to get your opinion. Considering the Sixers’ disappointing season and the fragile health of Embiid and George, should they be shut down for the rest of the season? Head to the comments section below to share your thoughts.
Yes, shut down the earlier the better
Shut down Maxey too
Signing George is wrong
Playing George is wrong wrong
Keeping George is wrong wrong wrong
Trade George for Durant two weeks ago
That wasn’t going to happen
This is a no brainer. Embiid is clearly not healthy, and George is getting further exposed as a stiff.
Yeah it would be organizational malpractice to not shut it down and try and get the stars physically fixed.
George is also injured in his defense. He never should have come back so quickly from the bone bruise he suffered early in the year. I believe that injury has compounded into other ailments he has suffered this year.
It’s one thing to gut it out and keep playing if you are performing at a high level. In the Aixers case neither player are so it is literally limiting the teams chances of winning.
Honest question at this point, do the Sixers play better hurting their chances at keeping the pick by shutting these guys down?
You may be right about playing them helping the team lose, but it would help them be fully recovered by camp and get more of an offseason to train by shutting them down now. Especially Embiid since he will need to recover from surgery before ramping back up
Oh 100% it will increase their chances of being healthy next year. Which frankly should be the most important consideration for the Sixers.
Absolutely. It’s past time. Terrible to see.
Okay so now both Embiid and Nurse have come out and confirmed that Joel is not healthy and it’s impacting his on court performance. How in the world is this even a question? You’re gonna just run Embiid into the ground to maybe hopefully potentially make A 10 SEED?!?
I’m almost wondering if they’re convincing them to play so that they end their own careers before their contracts expire. I’ve also had a tin foil hat on since the Luka thing so who knows.
Why are people shocked that a franchise with an identity built on losing continues to be a bunch of losers?
Shut down and traded for the asking price…
Rebuild around Maxey…
You aren’t going to get much for Embiid or PG at this point. Best thing might be to let them have their surgeries, then pray then can be healthy for half a season and moved for a better haul.
That might be the best value scenario… However… Can you wait tat long?
Maxey isn’t the Batman, but a damn good Robin… There’s a few years where the 76ers can bottom out to find them…
Although having PG and Embiid on the roster also helps with the tank whilst they’re injured…
They would have to give up all their remaining draft assets to find takers for an always injured Center and an aging wing on an untradable contract. At best they could Bradley Beal from the Equally desparate Suns
Their only slim Chance is to shut them down and hope for a miracle next season.
Maxey isn’t a top dog. He scores a lot but the only guy in the NBA taking more shots than him is Shai. He’s a number 2 or 3 on a championship team.
I love so see mismanaged teams, bought together in a hurry, going down.
So it is a great season. Philly, Suns, Nets. And finally the Clippers will learn that Harden will lead them nowhere in Playoff games.
Shutdown the whole team!!! Disband the Sixers….!!!!
If that isn’t feasible or doable…then shutdown Josh Harris and Nick Nurse…and George and Embiid….this is awful
relegated to g league. next up, capital city go go.
Should it of started?
Embiid wouldn’t be injured all the time if we wasn’t always taking flops and hitting the hardwood every 2 seconds
Over it
That doesn’t cause knee injuries
Guess we all agree they should focus on getting their players healthy and on next season…
Please yes
Definitely, shut at least Joel down if not both of them. Keeping their pick this year could be huge in the long run for the team.
Now, to get on my soap box. Joel was injured last January, played the balance of last season hurt. But instead of getting offseason surgery and returning in better health, he plays for Team USA at the Olympics. He then show so little effort to get back into shape or be around the team that he gets ripped by Maxey early in the season.
Maybe it’s time to permanently remove him from Philly’s lineup, though that’s going to be difficult right now as they would be selling low.
Also, again, why did they think that signing another aging and oft injured star to play with their out of shape, unmotivated, and oft injured star was a great idea. You made your bed Philly, hope you enjoy sleeping in it.
For many years now, Podcast P’s only offensive move is to launch 3’s or long 2’s ….. he’s also totally unreliable in the playoffs.
He was available and showed barely enough last season, no surprise that it was a contract year for Podcast P …. and Morey happily took the bait.
Morey lowballed Harden promising the Max Contract…then gave the Max to George instead
Nah, let them play. It’s fun to watch.
I made the comment the other day that I think Embiid should play through this and see where they go.
I wasn’t in favor of tanking AGAIN to have him ready for training camp because Embiid never makes it through a full season anyway so just play this out then have the surgery and be ready for January.
But if Nick Nurse is not going to play Embiid in the fourth quarter of a winable game, then the writing’s on the wall.
You have to sit him out, get the surgery, and be done with it. It’s over, gotta keep that top six pick.
I posted on the earlier threads, play Embiid as much as possible this season.
Crazy as it sounds, SIXERS are just a few games from the last play-in spot, might as well try to go for it ….. best case, they get that 8th seed, make the CAVS sweat some, hoping by that time that Embiid showed a decent stretch of healthy and productive MVP-numbers games.
Then try to trade him this offseason. That should be the SIXERS gameplan of getting out of the Jojo business.
Absolutely shut down Embid and Paul George! And, get Maxie some players to help him. He is the best player on the team. During the off season Sixers need to rid themselves of both Paul and Embid even if it puts them in rebuild!
Shut them both down, and fire Morey while you’re at it!
I think the Sixers front office needs to be shut down.
LOL !!! Excellent.
Trust the processed cheese.
Obviously shut them down. Embiid should get surgery and take a year off . George should gotten rid of this offseason and the team should just start over with new GM and coach. Josh Harris karma for being such a tool and cheat.
Trust the Tank
They’ve been shut down —-
As Harden would say..Daryl Morey is a Liar.
Morey gave Paul George the Max Contract Harden wanted.
Fire Morey
No point in playing two older injured player right now as this is a lost season anyway. The sooner Embid starts to heal ( whether he need surgery or not) the better chance ( if possible) he’ll be ready for next season. I have doubts if George will ever be anything close to what he used to be but they might as well see if he can heal. There is a chance the Sixers get a lottery pick this year and if Maxey and McClain are back healthy next season there is some room for optimism. In the meantime play the youngsters and see who fits into long term plans.
Shut Down??
They haven’t even played all year together..
This Team and Franchise is a joke right now..
Flat out embarrassing during the Embiid Era…
They need to build around Maxey starting next year…unload Embiid in the offseason for pennies on the dollar…who cares…
The problem with max contract players is you have to take back a basic equivalent in contract which means you get other team’s bad contracts.
Embiid should be traded (for Zion this summer or to blazers). Podcast P should give back some money and retire.
Sixers are currently 6th in Draft Order, shut it the bleep down.