CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid returned to practice on Sunday for non-contact drills. The big fella continues to recover from a meniscus injury in his left knee and the subsequent surgery on Feb. 6.
Embiid participating in practice does not mean a return to the floor is right around the corner, but having the big fella do something in practice is a morale boost. His mere presence is a big positive as the team’s leader and unquestioned best player.
“He looked pretty good to me,” smiled Cam Payne. “For my first time seeing him, he looked pretty good, man. He attracts a lot of attention out here. So it’s probably gonna make our job a little bit easier.”
Payne, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks at the deadline, has yet to play with Embiid on the floor. He needs to get some type of practice time with him as he gets integrated with the Sixers on the floor.
Philadelphia is 11-22 without Embiid, and they have missed him in a variety of ways. Obviously, the big fella averages 35.3 points per game. Any team misses that, but there is another area the Sixers miss him the most.
“I mean, when you have a team around one guy that pretty much like gravitates all around — I mean, of course, it’s tough to not play with him, but like I said, something that I’m so impressed by him this year was his playmaking,” Nic Batum said. “Yes, he’s scoring 35 points per game. That’s insane, but his playmaking, like the way he plays for the other guys is something that he got better. It’s something very underrated. It’s something I think we’re missing a lot.”
Embiid was averaging a career-high 5.7 assists on the season before the injury. Once he returns, one has to wonder how he will help Payne and Buddy Hield on this roster. Those guys will benefit greatly from the attention Embiid attracts on the floor and will make the offense flow so well.
With 15 games left, Philadelphia needs to continue to stay afloat until the reigning league MVP can return. As long as Embiid is on the floor, the Sixers will always have a chance.
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