76ers continue to struggle with Joel Embiid out again

PHILADELPHIA — Without a healthy Joel Embiid, the 76ers were never expected to contend for an NBA title.

But get taken to the final seconds before narrowly knocking off lowly Washington?

Or worse, lose to the eight-win Pelicans only hours after star forward Zion Willamson was suspended one game for breaking team rules?

Philadelphia's latest worst-loss of the season came on Friday night when CJ McCollum got loose for 38 points to lead New Orleans to a 123-115 victory.

A two-time NBA scoring champion, Embiid was powerless to help the Sixers again after he missed his third straight game with a sprained left foot. He has sat out a whopping 23 times already this season. He's also missed games due to left knee soreness, a sinus fracture and a three-game suspension for an altercation with a reporter in the locker room.

Embiid has played in just 13 games this season. The Sixers are 7-6 with Embiid and 8-15 without him — add that up, and it's a 15-21 record for team that boasts All-Stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey and is out of the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

''We're definitely better with Joel out there, that's a fact,'' George said. ''We're better with the big guy back in the lineup with us.''

The 2022-23 NBA MVP, Embiid is averaging 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds this season — below his career averages.

George has been spotty in the first season of his four-year, $212 million contract. He's struggled with injuries and his shot in his first season in Philly and hasn't quite found the consistent groove expected out of the nine-time All-Star. Case in point, against New Orleans, George had one bucket and three fouls at 8:13 of the second quarter. In the second half, George hit five 3s and scored 23 of his 25 points.

Maxey scored 30 points in 40 minutes and continues to log heavy minutes trying to carry the scoring load in Embiid's absence.

''It just seemed to me like we didn't have quite the pop energy-wise we needed the full game,'' Nurse said.

After a 3-14 start, the 76ers seemed to get themselves right by winning 10 of 13 games that included a signature Christmas win in Boston. Once the calendar flipped, the 76ers have since lost four of six.

The 76ers also played without Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) and KJ Martin (left foot). They ruled out promising rookie Jared McCain for the rest of the season on Thursday following left knee surgery last month on a torn meniscus.

''It's difficult with guys in and out of the lineup,'' Maxey said. ''As soon as we get some continuity, as soon as we get flowing, guys miss (games). It's really difficult. Guys have to kind of change their roles every single night. That puts pressure on us, man. We miss Jo, we miss Paul, we miss K.J. It's hard to win in this league when you're not healthy.''

The 20-year-old McCain spent one season at Duke before the Sixers made him their 2024 first-round draft pick. McCain — the 16th overall selection — was off to a fantastic start and had averaged 15.3 points in 23 games. He started eight games and was an instant fan favorite in large part to amassing nearly 5 million followers as a TikTok sensation.

''He was not only a great pick by our organization, he was really impacting the team in a positive manner,'' Nurse said. ''I think any rookie picked in that range that comes in and bolts to the top of all rookies is a credit to the player and organization, as well.''

Can the 76ers play encased in bubble wrap?

''There's sort of a desperation that we need to start to play with,'' George said. ''Look at every game like it matters. At this point forward, every game matters. It's not going to get any easier. We lost tonight. Not going to discredit how they played tonight but it's a team we should have beat. We've got to put teams like this away. That's the kind of team we've got to be if we want to compete and be one of the teams standing at the end.''

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