Embiid slow, leaves room for improvement in season debut with 13 points for 76ers

PHILADELPHIA – Joel Embiid took an errant headbutt to the face, looked gassed early in his 26-minute season debut, flopped as the big man can – though extra seconds on the floor provided a much-needed breather – and failed to get his shot in his return to the 76ers.

Embiid took the field to a rousing ovation from nearly 20,000 fans, but failed to wake the Sixers from their early season slumber, leaving them anchored at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

He shot just 2 for 11, grabbed three rebounds and scored 13 points, not enough to prevent the 76ers from another loss, 111-99 to the New York Knicks Tuesday night

Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, also missed four of five 3-point attempts and had a pair of turnovers.

“I mean, the first five minutes” were rusty, Embiid said. “Afterwards I thought: it’s okay. You can do whatever you want in practice and (a) scrimmage. But the game is a different story. I will be fine.”

Embiid, whose season was marred by injuries and suspension, wasted no time in giving the Sixers a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been: a dish to fellow oft-injured All-Star Paul George for a layup to open the game .

“I thought he got a little tired again in the fourth,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I thought he played with a pretty good competitive spirit.”

Embiid, wearing a brace on his surgically repaired left knee, pointed skyward as he took the field for a pre-game warm-up and appeared ready to roll for his debut.

He had already stayed around after the shooting for extra work. The seven-footer was in no hurry to complete his exercises.

Embiid shot free throws, worked on his post-game and made soft jumpers during a practice Tuesday morning in preparation for his season debut and first game against George, who joined the Sixers this summer on a four-year, $212 million contract.

With Embiid and George, the Sixers fell to 2-8 and with the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers in town Wednesday night.

“You just see how much he demands eyes and attention,” said George, who led the Sixers with 29 points. “For me, a lot of it was just kind of learning. He’s a force out there. You have to find him, you have to see him.’

Embiid, George and fellow All-Star Tyrese Maxey, out with a right hamstring injury, were the 76ers version of a Big Three expected to be one of the heavy favorites out of the East.

The trio must play one more game together instead.

“I think it’s all about us getting on the floor together and learning to play with each other,” Embiid said. ‘I’m back. PG is feeling pretty good. We just need to get Tyrese back. If we are all on the ground, I think we have a good chance to win some games.”

The 76ers face an uphill climb to a top spot in the East.

There have been 20 teams in NBA history that made the playoffs after starting 1-6 or 0-7, although this has been extremely rare in recent years. In the past 27 years, only three teams – the 2003-04 Miami Heat (0-7), the 2004-05 Chicago Bulls (0-7) and the 2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans (1-6) – have had such a success. started and advanced to the play-offs.

Embiid’s return can only force the push for a winning record.

Embiid is a seven-time All-Star and is returning from what the team called left knee management and the end of a three-game suspension for pushing a member of the media.

By his own admission, Embiid says he won’t play back-to-back games this season, meaning he’ll sit out Wednesday against Cleveland. The next set of back-to-backs is Dec. 3 at Charlotte and a home game Dec. 4 against Orlando.

Play it at home in front of fans who paid exorbitant ticket prices to see Andre Drummond at center this season, right?

No, so fast.

Like Tuesday’s game against the Knicks, the Hornets game was designated as part of the NBA Cup round-robin schedule.

The 76ers have been open since the preseason about how they planned to use Embiid this season — managing his minutes and games played to the point where they can safely navigate him to the postseason for the first time in his career.

Nursing, the sports science departments and the front office face a sticky situation when deciding when Embiid will play this season. Plus, with Embiid, there’s no guarantee he won’t get injured again, a blow that would put the franchise closer to the draft lottery than chasing its first NBA championship since 1983.

Embid said he would lobby to play the Cavaliers, a chance to spoil their perfect start that was too tempting to sit out again after missing the first nine games.

The 76ers might want to put the bubble wrap back on Embiid.

“I know I said I’d never play back-to-backs,” Embiid said with a smile, “but I’m a troll.”