Joel Embiid’s injury is a serious blow to Philadelphia’s ambitions this season. Without their leader, the “76ers” risk falling out of the playoff zone, despite currently holding the 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference. In Embiid’s absence, the primary burden will fall on Tyrese Maxey. His leadership qualities and ability to take charge in crucial moments will be critically important. However, Maxey alone is unlikely to carry the team.
Without Embiid, Philadelphia loses its main advantage – dominance in the paint. Tyrese Maxey or Paul Reed are unlikely to fully replace Embiid on the court. This may push the coaching staff to reconsider tactical schemes in favor of a faster perimeter game.
As for the MVP race, Embiid’s chances become nearly zero. Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and even Luka Doncic have the upper hand. Even if Philadelphia performs well without Embiid, he cannot participate in the MVP race due to unlikely participation in 65 games this season. Azeri bukmeker saytlari no longer believe that Philadelphia’s center will realistically contend for MVP this season.
Let’s examine the situation from different angles and analyze how Joel Embiid’s injury will affect Philadelphia.
How The Team Plays Without Joel Embiid
Without Embiid on the court, Philadelphia loses a leader not only in attack but also in defense. His presence in the paint makes opponents think twice before attacking the hoop. Reed and Bamba are unlikely to defend the rim as effectively. Although Maxey and Harris can take on some offensive load, compensating for Joel Embiid’s dominance in the painted area will be challenging. They will have to shoot more from mid-range and beyond the arc, affecting their shooting percentages.
With Embiid, the team averages 120.6 points and concedes 110.5 points per game. Without him, the numbers drop to 116.3 and 115.8, respectively. Embiid himself averages 35.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. In his absence, Maxey takes the main offensive load with an average of 27.8 points per game, while Harris increases his stats to 21.2 points per game. These figures vividly demonstrate the crucial role Embiid plays in both phases of the game for Philadelphia. Replacing him will be a significant challenge.
Furthermore, Embiid’s absence weakens Philadelphia’s rebounding in both ends. This gives opponents more chances for offensive rebounds and additional attacks. Overall, to maintain their position at the top of the Eastern Conference without Embiid, Maxey and Harris will need not just stable but exceptional performances. The whole team will have to unite and put maximum effort into defense.
How Joel Embiid’s Injury Will Impact The MVP Race
Indeed, Joel Embiid’s injury deals a serious blow to his chances of winning individual awards this season. Before the injury, he led the MVP race, averaging 35.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. His performance had propelled Philadelphia to the top of the Eastern Conference. However, now, having missed at least several weeks, Embiid is unlikely to reach the required 65 games for the award. This opens the door for candidates like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic, who have a chance to catch up and surpass Embiid in average stats.
Although some experts may still consider Embiid the most valuable player in the voting, his chances of official MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Star Team selection sharply decline.
The main thing is for Joel Embiid to fully recover for the playoffs and demonstrate his incredible talent in the decisive matches of the season. Whether or not he wins MVP, he remains one of the league’s best players.
