Through three games, Joel Embiid has been healthy and available.
That wouldn’t be notable for most players, but Embiid didn’t play all three of the first three games of the 2024-25 or 2025-2026 seasons.
While he’s not likely to play Sunday in the Sixers’ second leg of their home back-to-back against the Detroit Pistons, it won’t be for lack of trying.
“I have no idea,” Embiid said when asked about the plan to play him Saturday. “I actually want to play tomorrow, so can you guys put pressure on them?”
Embiid relented a little, understanding there are still 79 games to go and greater goals ahead.
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask them, but obviously you get three days off,” he said. “Could have been two, but you get three days off. It doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the beginning of the season. It’s going well, so I guess more time you can get to recover, the better, and then get used to it.”
Still, Embiid couldn’t help himself.
“But yeah, I want to play tomorrow, so start writing articles. Put pressure on them so they let me play,” he said playfully.
It makes sense Embiid would want to keep things rolling. He put up a triple-double in the team’s 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday, moving the Sixers to 3-0 on the young season.
Embiid’s performances have been a mixed bag — unsurprising, as Embiid is a notorious slow starter and still needs to adjust to his new superstar teammates, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. On the one hand, he’s looked better physically than he has in two years and is contributing to winning. On the other hand, he’s still not moving like his former MVP self and is still feeling out his place in a new offensive ecosystem.
After a poor shooting performance on opening night, Embiid has been much more efficient in his last two games. He was 8-for-20 against the Bucks, but did have an outstanding stretch in the fourth quarter, being the team’s offensive hub. He seemed to make the right plays consistently throughout the night. His 10th assist came at a great time as Brown nailed a three late in the game to extend a shrinking lead back to six.
With James sitting the first leg of the back-to-back, Embiid became the team’s primary facilitator. The abundance of talent allows Embiid to play his preferred brand of basketball.
“I get more fulfilled when I play team basketball and the ball is moving and I’m making plays for everybody,” he said. “Like it just feels so much better as a basketball player. A night like tonight … that’s the way I like to play. The ball moves, everybody’s touching it, side to side, and then that’s good offense.”
So much for all that there’s only one ball! talk.
Embiid isn’t moving like he was in 2023, but you have to be encouraged by what you’ve seen so far if you’re the Sixers. This is a guy who thought he might have to retire not all that long ago. To get to this point three games into the season is a positive start.
Even Embiid knows he still has work to do, but he believes he can do it — no small thing for a player who’s lacked confidence in his body the last several years.
“I’m happy that I’m playing basketball, but I’m not really happy about the way I’ve been playing,” Embiid said. “I just haven’t been efficient. Not even close to what I should be. So, yeah, that’s the part that I got to work on.
“But everything else, kind of getting the feeling back, whether it’s on defense, rebounding, making plays for guys — slowly getting there. But as myself, as the great scorer that I’ve always been, I gotta figure it out because I think once I really get back to myself — whether it’s in the post, midrange, from three — that’s going to be a game-changer for us.”
