76ers’ Joel Embiid admits to not being as ‘dominant’
The 2024-25 season has been anything but consistent for Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid.
The former league MVP has struggled to stay on the court due to nagging leg issues that forced him to miss significant playing time. He has played in only 18 of the team’s first 55 games, resulting in the 76ers unsurprisingly holding the sixth-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Embiid has been able to take the court, but his production is noticeably lower. He scored only 15 points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field in 27 minutes in the lopsided loss to the defending champion Boston Celtics.
After the game, Embiid said his performance wasn’t anywhere near what it was last season due to injuries.
“I’m not as dominant as I was a couple of months ago, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t have a lot of impact on the game,” Embiid said via ESPN. “Just me being out there, I think, helps a lot. My presence, my ability to attract double-teams, get guys more shots.
“It’s just tough because you know you can do so much more. But there’s no excuses. It’s just the way it is. You just have to find ways to figure it out and get better.”
In 18 games, Embiid is averaging 24.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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If the 76ers hope to make a significant playoff, it will need to start with Embiid rounding into form that has made him one of the league’s best talents.
