PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid is expected to play for the Philadelphia 76ers this week — barring another setback, and that chance is always there with the 7-footer — after winning Olympic goldsigned A contract extensionfloundered by a knee injury, was the cause of two NBA investigations, argument with a columnist and was given a technical foul for waving a towel from the couch.

Oh, and to make Philly’s season even worse, the 76ers are just not a good team without Embiid.

In fact, they are one of the worst teams in the NBA.

The Sixers can only hope their fortunes begin to turn around Tuesday night when Embiid, a two-time league champion, makes his long-awaited first start of the season against the New York Knicks as both teams begin play in the NBA Cup round. robin. Embiid last played for the Sixers in May, when they were eliminated at home Game 6 by New York in the first round of the playoffs.

A seven-time All-Star, Embiid 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 as the Sixers languished at 2-7 and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

“Without the big guy, we’re not where we want to be,” freshman Sixers forward Paul George said. “Someone as talented as he is. He is the piece. We still have to play and compete at a high level and try to win games. There’s no doubt about it, if you get someone like that, it makes everyone’s job a little bit easier.”

The 76ers’ woes aren’t all dumped on Embiid’s size 17 feet.

George, the expected one free agent signs coup over the summer, has been limited to four games this season due to a knee injury, leaving him on a minutes restriction that cost him all of overtime in a win over Charlotte on Sunday. Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star last season and the league’s most improved player, could miss another week to 10 days with a hamstring injury. Backup centers Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele can’t come close to Embiid’s elite production.

“I think we’re still trying to figure this out,” George said. “I’m still trying to get in shape, get my legs back under me. I’m getting these legs back under me. I think we’re showing signs of just competing and playing hard. Just leave it on the floor. I think that’s been the message. No matter what’s going on, just leave him on the floor, play hard, maximum effort. That is something we can all bring.”

In terms of size and stature, the 76ers have focused around Embiid since his rookie season. Without a game played in his No. 21 uniform, this season has been full of hardships for the 30-year-old franchise anchor. Yes, some of the issues are of his own making, some issues are deliberately obscured and some are just simmering frustration brought to the boil by more games on the sidelines.

By his own admission, Embiid says he won’t play back-to-back games this season, meaning he’ll sit out Wednesday against Cleveland. Sixers fans know the routine: Wednesday tickets on secondary markets like StubHub are listed for as little as $10 in the upper tier and for around $30 in the 100 tier.

Philly’s belief that the 76ers will ever win a championship with Embiid has fallen faster than ticket prices.

The 2023 NBA MVP’s latest beef stemmed from his beef with a Philadelphia Inquirer writer who mentioned Embiid’s late brother and his son — both named Arthur — in columns questioning Embiid’s professionalism and commitment after he was out of shape after playing at the Paris Olympics.

The NBA fined the Sixers $100,000 last month for public statements, including by president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and Nurse, that were inconsistent with Embiid’s health status and violated league rules, including the player participation policy.

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 navigate him safely healthy to the postseason for the first time in his career.

At this terrible pace, what are they supposed to do now if there are no play-offs?

The advantage is that only Cleveland — undefeated went into Monday’s game in Chicago – and Boston has winning records in the Eastern Conference. Get on a great streak with Embiid and the 76ers will be right back in the thick of the playoff race.

However, only Milwaukee and Toronto have worse records in the East than the 76ers.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers might still be coaching the Sixers if Embiid had stayed healthy during his three seasons in Philadelphia and been physically capable of leading the Sixers during deep playoff runs.

“Joel did nothing wrong,” Rivers said on opening night. “It just happens. You do your best. There are guidelines that every team has. We have the science behind us. Joel is a great person. He moves like a guard. There are days when he makes a move during training and you say to yourself: that’s not normal for a big boy. His body might say so too. It’s hard because he’s such a great player.”

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