The Philadelphia 76ers won just one of four games last week and suffered a major blow as Joel Embiid was announced to have an injured meniscus. This week, the Sixers face four more games and look to gain their footing without the star center. After a bad losing skid, Philadelphia is now the five seed in the Eastern Conference and hold a 30-18 record.
A Brutal Week for Philadelphia
The 76ers lost their first two back-to-back games on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors. Embiid had just made his return from a knee injury against the Warriors, but left the game early with what is now known as a partially torn meniscus that will require surgery. The following game against the Utah Jazz went shockingly well for an otherwise depressing situation. Tyrese Maxey poured in 51 points shooting 63% and 77.8% from three in the 127-124 win. However the Embiid-less Sixers came back down to earth with a home loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
What Do the Sixers Do Now?
Tonight, the Sixers face off against the Dallas Mavericks at home. On Wednesday night on national television, the 76ers host the Warriors. Philadelphia finishes the week with games against the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in a chance to stay in the Eastern Playoffs. Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks have jumped the 76ers in the standings, and with Embiid out for an extended amount of time, the play-in tournament is not out of reach if the team cannot hold their own.
With the trade deadline on Thursday, February 8, Philadelphia will have to reassess their targets. Before the injury, they were a contending team looking to get one final piece to bolster a championship-level roster. Now, Philadelphia may consider trading for a part-time replacement for their center along with some additional role players. Not to mention, Embiid was a leading MVP candidate and now will be out of the race due to missed games. Whatever road they take, Maxey and company will need to step up if they want to have home court advantage in the playoffs or at least stay away from the play-in tournament.
