Waiting game on Joel Embiid tempers playoff anticipation
Bob Grotz
PHILADELPHIA – General manager Elton Brand gave the Sixers a pat on the back Wednesday for a successful Welcome to the Moment season. And deservedly so. Back-to-back 50-win seasons don’t grow on trees.But Brand spiraled away from the fluffy theme when he revealed under relentless questioning that Joel Embiid might not be healthy enough to […]
https://www.delcotimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DelcoTimes-siteicon.png?w=16
Delco Times
Deadlines:

Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm, Call 610-915-2226

(Proofs will be provided for accuracy only, they will not be styled/formatted like the finished product)

Obituaries submitted on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays are accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. by email only Obit@delcotimes.com

(No proofs will be furnished. Pricing will not be available until the next business day after 10:00am by calling Dianne at 610-915-2226)

Obituaries received after Deadline will not be published in the following edition of the paper.

Sending Procedure:

Email is the preferable method for receiving Obituaries (and the only method on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays), they can be sent to Obit@delcotimes.com (Feel free to call and confirm that we’ve received the email)

Formatting:

Obituaries will continue to visually look the same as they currently do, but you will no longer be restricted in what you can say (ex. As much Family can be listed as you’d like; Wording like “Went to rest with the Lord” is now permissible)

Other:

There is a cost for each obituary. Pricing and payments are only available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. All weekend and holiday submissions will be provided a cost the next business day.

Exceptions:

All New accounts, Out of State Funeral Homes and Private Parties will require prepayment upon approval of the obituary. Weekend and Holiday staff are not authorized to set up a new account or process payments

Deadline for the above is before 4:00 PM Mon – Fri. only (Holiday schedules may vary).

Prepayment required submissions will be handled on the very first business day following the weekend and/or holiday schedule. A complete name, address and best contact phone number are required upon submittal of your obituary request to set up your account. A proof will then be emailed for review but placed on hold until payment is received.

PHILADELPHIA – General manager Elton Brand gave the Sixers a pat on the back Wednesday for a successful Welcome to the Moment season. And deservedly so. Back-to-back 50-win seasons don’t grow on trees.

But Brand spiraled away from the fluffy theme when he revealed under relentless questioning that Joel Embiid might not be healthy enough to begin the playoffs.

Embiid wasn’t healthy last spring and the Sixers beat the Miami Heat in five games to advance to the second round.

But before you say what else is new, there’s no denying this injury is more serious than the orbital fracture that sidelined Embiid for two playoff games last year. Embiid missed 14 of the Sixers’ last 24 games this season, essentially due to a sore left knee. There were a couple of occasions he declined to speak to the media after games, which rarely has been his M.O.

Additionally the Sixers have five centers, or guys who can play center, on their roster. Greg Monroe is the most recent addition. In the regular season finale against the Chicago Bulls, he assisted on a basket for another center, Amir Johnson.

Add the evidence together, including Brand’s reluctance to categorically deny Embiid was a full go, and you have serious red flags.

Sixers coach Brett Brown didn’t deny the word of his GM but said he expected all of his starters to play until told differently. Moments later he ran out of patience when asked to clarify Embiid’s status.

“Let me just say this for everybody,” Brown said. “The club will make the statement in a clearer way than I guess I have about Joel. OK? We’ll put out something that is fair. I get your questions but I’m done answering them.”

Give Brand, the first-year exec, a T for transparency. He was truthful from the beginning. Said Embiid was doing everything in his power to be ready for the playoffs. Said it three times, with conviction.

“I’m optimistic he plays this weekend,” Brand bravely said. “But it’s how he feels. I think he’ll present well and he’ll be ready but you don’t know.”

Other than his word, Brand was unable to describe what made him so optimistic about Embiid’s participation chances other than the abundance of guts. It was tough explaining why the big guy seems to fade physically as the season wears on. Brand offered truth and hope.

“When I was in Miami, we had a short meeting and he was on his way to hydro work, which is underwater treadmill,” Brand said. “He’s working his butt off to be ready. He’s focused on his diet. He’s focused on his body. So, I’m optimistic.”

Speaking of bodies, in recent years it’s been a struggle for Embiid to stay in playing shape during injury absences. The guy is a little like us in that respect, albeit at 7-0, 275 pounds. In a limited state of mobility, he can gain weight just looking at a Grandma’s chocolate chip cookie pack, a cheese steak or a triple bacon burger with cheese.

Though there’s plenty of recovery time between NBA playoff games, you still need to be healthy enough to play.

When Embiid’s right, there’s no denying his dominance. He averaged 27.5 points and 13.6 boards in the regular season. Embiid led the Sixers to back-to-back 50-victory seasons for the first time since 1984-86. He made the all-star team along with Ben Simmons.

Brand is proud of being part of that as well as adding Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler, the fourth-quarter closer, through trades. He re-signed shooter JJ Redick, who he said is having a career year.

Brand said his expectations have changed since the start of the season, but in a good way.

“Now I’m confident we can make a deep playoff run,” he said. “My goal and my expectation is to definitely get past where we got last year with this team. We got to the second round, we lost to Boston. I expect us to pass that.”

Brand said that knowing what the extent Embiid’s knee injury. He said that knowing the Sixers’ bench isn’t the conference’s deepest. Said that because the starting five is 8-2 playing together.

“There won’t be a time where you won’t have Tobias, Jimmy, Joel, JJ or Ben out there on the court,” Brand said. “There will be at least two or even three of those players. I think the talent will trump cohesion on other teams because we’re very talented with our first five.”

First four players, we shall see.

Get ready, Monroe. The Sixers still need you, Johnson. Jonah Bolden, get healthy, you may be needed to play the pivot. Boban Marjanovic – is it too much to ask you to work on some speed drills?

To get to where they think they can be, the Sixers need Embiid.

Preferably with two healthy knees.

Originally Published: April 10, 2019 at 7:27 p.m.