Embiid hoping to be happier soon after birthday
Joel Embiid turned 30 years old Saturday which makes him a Pisces. Imaginative, practical, very balanced and a likable and a fun person to be around, according to his horoscope.
A Pisces is a reliable friend to many, the horoscope continues, but be sure to make enough time for yourself and your own needs.
Embiid has had a lot of time for himself since tearing a Pisces of the meniscus in his left knee, having missed his 21st straight game Saturday.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse has been pulling his hair out trying to win games without the big guy. The Sixers are 10-21 this season without the reigning MVP, who also missed a block of games earlier.
The 6-8 week timetable for Embiid’s return still seems optimistic, although Nurse confirmed that the center received a positive evaluation from team doctors last week.
“They’re happy with the progress,” Nurse said. “The whispers of him being on the court I believe are true, but I haven’t seen any of it. We’ve been gone for a long time. Just got back yesterday. And I haven’t seen him.”
Embiid has a lateral meniscus flap tear that takes longer to rest and rehab than a simple meniscus tear. While the Sixers are hoping for Embiid to return in late March, the panel of Sports Injury Central doctors thinks “Early to mid-April is more realistic.”
The way the Sixers are struggling, it might be too much of a risk to put him back on the floor this season. The Sixers were 36-30 entering the game Saturday with the Charlotte Hornets, having lost 17 of their last 24 starts. That was eighth place, including tiebreakers.
The teams from each conference that finish 7-to10 participate in the play-in
tournament. That would have pitted the Sixers against the Hawks had the play-in started Saturday, just to get into the playoffs.
Realistically, how much of a chance would the Sixers and their re-worked roster have of getting anywhere? Nurse understands that yet still believes his game-changing center will return this season.
“I’m still hoping so,” Nurse said. “I’m still pretty confident in that. I think it’s tricky. I think there’s always stages of how these things progress. Everybody wants to know, well, how long is it going to be? And they give a … range because everybody heals differently, there’s setbacks, there’s all kinds of stuff like that. We’re just trying to take it as it comes. Get him healthy. Get him really healthy. Get him back when he’s ready to come back.”
•••
The Sixers signed Kai Jones (6-11, 218) to a 10-day contract, but it’s possible he doesn’t see the court for them in a while, if at all this season.
Nurse said the Sixers want to evaluate Jones in the G League.
“I watched him the other night,” Nurse said. “He’s got some size and some athleticism. He had five or six dunks. He seemed to play his role really well. He doesn’t seem to try to do too much. He rebounds, he runs, he really screens. He moves it to the next action over and over again.”
In 10 days the Sixers will re-evaluate Jones.
••• Imagine Sixers guard Buddy Hield serving coffee and donuts. That’s what happened Beiler’s Doughnuts at Reading Terminal Market Friday, the sales crew he worked with almost unable to contain their enthusiasm.
Just guessing that when Hield had to dispose of cups or other debris, he did it quickly from long, long distance … and followed through.