Current and former coach Joel Embiid defends center and 76ers as injury questions persist

Since the summer, the Philadelphia 76ers have been looking forward to the season opener on Wednesday evening against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was supposed to be the first time Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey played with Paul George, the All-Star forward the franchise signed in July. Instead, Maxey was the only one active, as the guard scored a team-high 25 points in a 125-109 loss in front of the home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia's other two stars were sidelined due to injuries.

When healthy, the 76ers are among the favorites in the Eastern Conference. But that's a big problem considering Embiid and George have often struggled with health issues.

George, who is in the first year of a four-year, $212 million maximum contract, suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the 76ers' second preseason game last Monday. The 15-year NBA veteran said on his podcast this week that it was not a serious injury and that he would be back “hopefully sooner than later.” George played in 74 games last season, but appeared in 56 or fewer games in the previous four seasons.

Embiid, on the other hand, did not play in preseason games or participate in full-court scrimmages. He will also miss Friday's game in Toronto and Sunday's game in Indiana as he rests his left knee. The team will reevaluate Embiid this weekend.

Shortly before Wednesday's game, ESPN reported that the NBA would “likely open an investigation” into the 76ers and Embiid, which is standard policy for players who miss a nationally televised game.

Embiid underwent surgery on his left knee in February before returning to play in April. During the first-round playoff series loss to the New York Knicks, Embiid averaged 33 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists in six games despite suffering from Bell's Palsy, which Johns Hopkins University described as ” “An unexplained episode of weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles.” Embiid then won a gold medal for Team USA at the Olympics.

Still, the 76ers are cautious with Embiid, who told ESPN this month that he doesn't plan to play in back-to-back games for the rest of his career. During Tuesday's Inside the NBA show on TNT, Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal criticized Embiid's decision. Barkley said he was “so disappointed” in Embiid and O'Neal pointed out that “the league isn't as physical for him.”

Before Wednesday's game, 76ers coach Nick Nurse defended Embiid, saying the center did not re-injure his knee.

“(The decision) is truly a collective effort,” Nurse said. “I think if you want to point the finger at a specific person, that's not going to happen. Our medical care comes first. Joel is there, our front office, myself – everyone is involved in coming up with a hopefully better plan than what we have had so far.”

Nurse noted that Embiid has suffered frequent injuries in the postseason, which is a key reason the 76ers have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2001. Bucks coach Doc Rivers can relate, having coached the 76ers for three seasons. In 2021, Embiid suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee in the fourth game of the series against the Washington Wizards. The next year, Embiid tore ligaments in his right thumb and suffered a concussion and orbital fracture in the postseason. And in 2023, Embiid won the Most Valuable Player award but missed two playoff games due to a knee sprain.

Asked about Barkley and O'Neal's comments, Rivers said the NBA was much different in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s than it is today. Today, teams have a huge staff, including sports scientists, coaches, doctors and others, who look after the health of players. But at the time, Rivers joked that a coach was also an equipment manager and traveling secretary while players ate hot dogs and potato chips before games.

“Whatever works for Joel, that’s what you have to do,” Rivers said. “You can’t worry about the noise. If it works (sitting out consecutive games) and it gets him ready for the playoffs, I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t commit to it.”