NBA roundtable: Breaking down Joel Embiid’s return, and whether the Sixers can make a playoff run

Within the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 30, Joel Embiid tore his meniscus in his left knee when Jonathan Kuminga landed atop it throughout a chase for a free ball. The crew finally decided that he wanted surgical procedure to restore the difficulty, and initially, it was unclear when or if he would return this season. 

That query was answered final Tuesday when Embiid returned to the courtroom for the Sixers’ matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the long run, he missed simply over two months, throughout which period the Sixers went 11-18 and fell from fifth place within the Japanese Convention to eighth. 

Embiid put up 24 factors, six rebounds and 7 assists in half-hour in his first recreation again to assist the Sixers take down the Thunder. He then adopted it up with 29 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes within the Sixers’ essential win over the Heat. Swiftly, the town of Philadelphia all of a sudden has hope once more. 

With Embiid again in motion and the postseason quick approaching, CBS Sports activities’ consultants acquired collectively to debate the reigning MVP’s return and what which means for the Sixers’ playoff hopes. 

What are your preliminary ideas on how Embiid has appeared in these first two outings? 

Brad Botkin: I am undecided how way more the Sixers might’ve anticipated from Embiid after two months off. He acquired to the free-throw line 12 instances in his first recreation again, choosing up proper the place he left off, then he had 29 factors in 29 minutes as Philly scored a large win over the Warmth on Thursday to maneuver inside one recreation of a top-six seed. He has appeared winded, naturally, however he is not distant. The 3s fell on Thursday. The face-up jumper is clear. He is hitting foul-line runners for crying out loud. Once more, I am undecided the Sixers might’ve hoped for something greater than this. 

Jack Maloney: I’d agree with Brad that Embiid appears about nearly as good as he and the Sixers might have hoped, contemplating the circumstances. That is definitely not the identical world-destroying participant we noticed early within the season, however his presence alone causes issues for opponents and lifts his teammates. The truth that the Sixers instantly beat the Thunder and the Warmth with him on the ground after going 11-18 whereas he was out actually saying all it is advisable to know. 

James Herbert: Tuesday’s recreation was pretty encouraging, even with the very seen rust. In Thursday’s recreation, he wildly exceeded my expectations. About two minutes in, the Warmth known as timeout down 10-0, and regardless that Embiid had but to attain, his fingerprints have been all over the place: screening for Tyrese Maxey, backscreening Kelly Oubre open for an alley-oop, swiping down at a Terry Rozier shot and blocking it out of bounds off Rozier. Embiid wasn’t good — there have been a few blowbys, a couple of defensive rebounds that he did not pursue and a few, uh, lapses in transition protection — however, by and enormous he appeared like himself. I do not suppose it is a coincidence that Embiid shot the ball a lot better within the first half than the second, however I do not suppose that is damning or something, both. The dude managed to play 33 minutes in his second recreation again from knee surgical procedure.

Sam Quinn: He is nearer to full power than we moderately might have anticipated. It is not simply the robust statistical performances, however the workload that has include them. He is hovered round half-hour in his first two video games again, suggesting that his conditioning is much better than it ought to be after lacking two months. He is transferring effectively. He took over the top of the Thunder recreation utterly even when he was visibly exhausted, and maybe most significantly, he tried 12 free throws in that recreation. If Embiid in all fairness wholesome and drawing fouls at a degree wherein few East groups are wholesome and drawing fouls, the 76ers are going to have a pronounced benefit over most of their competitors.

The Sixers solely have 5 extra video games within the common season. Do you suppose that is sufficient time for him to regain his rhythm earlier than the postseason begins? 

Botkin: Contemplating the rhythm Embiid and the Sixers established earlier than he went down, I do suppose he can get a superb quantity of his rhythm again. All of it? I am undecided. Nevertheless it looks like he’ll be capable to get sufficient of it again, after which hopefully, he’ll get higher as Philly’s first-round sequence progresses, assuming they get out of the Play-in. What must be thought-about is the elevated tempo with which Philly is working this season within the half courtroom. Embiid is the hub of Nick Nurse’s offense, which is basically predicated on flowing two-man actions as Embiid controls visitors. That is loads of timing and anticipation, and that requires reps. That is the half that feels a bit squeezed. 

Maloney: I assumed this remark after the win over the Thunder was notable: “It’ll take me some time to get again to myself and actually belief myself,” Embiid stated. The truth that he was capable of return for any common season motion in any respect is large, however five-to-seven video games – relying on what number of he performs – on a minutes restriction is just not sufficient to completely put together your self for playoff basketball. However, once more, a considerably clunky Embiid is much better than no Embiid. 

Herbert: His pre-injury rhythm? I imply, he was scoring 40 factors nearly each different recreation, and when he dropped 70, it wasn’t that surprising. For the reason that bar is so excessive, the reply is technically “no,” however Embiid should not be judged in opposition to what he was doing in December and January. I already like the best way he and Kyle Lowry are working collectively — within the third quarter in opposition to Miami, Lowry screened him open for a jumper, he acquired Lowry an open 3 off a dribble-handoff and the 2 of them set double screens for Maxey — and he and Maxey have picked up the place they left off, however I might wish to see extra of the Hield-Embiid two-man recreation that I have been imagining for the reason that commerce deadline. I do suppose that there is sufficient time for him to construct some rhythm along with his teammates and get all of them used to taking part in with him once more, and, ideally, Philadelphia will get extra cohesive because the postseason goes on.

Quinn: Nicely, 4 of the 5 remaining video games on Philadelphia’s schedule are in opposition to bottom-dwellers. That may assist, and so long as Philadelphia can keep away from the No. 8 seed, they haven’t any purpose to concern any Japanese Convention opponent they’d see within the first two rounds. He does not must be 100% within the subsequent week or two. If he can slowly acquire steam over the course of the subsequent month, Philadelphia immediately turns into Boston’s greatest menace within the Japanese Convention.

When Embiid performs this season, the Sixers are 28-8 and have a plus-8.9 web score with him on the courtroom. Can they make a run within the playoffs now that he is again? 

Botkin: I went on CBS Sports activities HQ on Thursday morning and stated I did not suppose it was real looking for Embiid to get again to pre-injury ranges in sufficient time for the Sixers to make any actual postseason noise. Now I am not so positive. Once more, Embiid has appeared fairly rattling good in his first two video games again, and it’s important to marvel if his damage was presumably a blessing in disguise in that he is going to enter the playoffs as rested as he ever has. Not solely that, however Maxey, who went for 37, 11 and 9 on Thursday, has now gotten all these reps as the principle defensive focus. Now with Embiid again, Maxey may very well be able to play just like the All-NBA guard he was monitoring to be for a lot of the season. If Philly can stand up to the No. 6 seed, look out. That will give them the Cavs or Knicks within the first spherical. Even at No. 7, I’d give them a puncher’s likelihood in opposition to Milwaukee. In the event that they slip to No. 8, neglect about it. They are not beating Boston. 

Maloney: Going to co-sign Brad once more right here. If they will someway stand up to the No. 6 seed and keep away from the Play-In Event, that offers them a much better likelihood. Not solely would they keep away from the Celtics or Bucks within the first spherical, however Embiid would get a full week off to relaxation his knee, fairly than having to play at the least one further high-intensity recreation. However can they accomplish that? They’re just one recreation behind the sixth-place Pacers within the standings, nevertheless it’s basically a two-game hole because of the tiebreaker. Given the groups’ respective schedules, it is not unattainable for the Sixers to make up that floor, however they’d even have to leap the seventh-place Warmth, which is a complicating issue. 

Herbert: I do not know in the event that they will, however after all they can. The Sixers have been profiled as contenders earlier than Embiid’s damage, and so they’ve made some sensible strikes since then. At full power, I believe they’re a greater, extra balanced crew than they have been final season, regardless that they’ve much less firepower with James Harden out of the image. Nicolas Batum is an ideal slot in Nurse’s offense, Kyle Lowry is still doing a million helpful little things and Oubre was final summer time’s greatest price range signing. The upside right here is apparent, however Embiid wants to carry up, Melton must heal up and Philadelphia most likely wants to leap as much as the seventh or, ideally, sixth seed. I really feel fairly good about this crew, however I might really feel higher if I knew for positive that it would not see the Celtics earlier than the convention finals.

Quinn: Who, apart from Boston, ought to even be favored over Philadelphia in an Japanese Convention sequence if Embiid is at even 80%? Milwaukee is now 15-16 beneath Doc Rivers. The Knicks do not have Julius Randle. Donovan Mitchell has been out and in of the lineup for Cleveland. Orlando has just about no playoff expertise. The truth of the Japanese Convention proper now’s that any crew can beat any opponent in any sequence that doesn’t contain the Boston Celtics. If Philadelphia will get to No. 7, something turns into attainable.