Sixers’ Joel Embiid discusses returning to court and injuries

Joel Embiid last played on January 4 in Brooklyn before entering the field of Philadelphia’s 118-116 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night. Embiid did not miss a beat and recorded its first triple double this season with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The big man looked in a rhythm from the opening jump and voted seven points on 3-of-3-shooting and a few assists in his first quarter. After the game, Embiid was asked why he had his rhythm early in this particular return game:

“I was afraid of being traded. (Laughs.) No, I’m laughing. I don’t know. I just wanted to get out aggressive. I think earlier when I came back, I tried to fit in and make sure everyone did what to do when I didn’t play. I think that tonight I just claimed myself from the inside out because I know if I claim myself, now they double and triple teams me and it gets everyone else open. I think in the games that I played earlier in the season, we always had slow starts, especially because of me – because I wasn’t aggressive from the start. I think I learned from these lessons. I just want to get out of being aggressive and kind of bringing attention to me so it can open everyone else. “

EMBIID recognized the difficulty on the mental side for him with regard to lack of time during the last month:

“Extremely. Just finding to try positive things, and even if there’s not much, you have to lean on the positive things. It’s important … Family that can keep you up, keep you going, keep you motivated. But it’s tough. Try managing it, try to find a solution. It just happens. Hopefully this time is this time it’s too good. I feel good, but it can be unpredictable. I don’t really have time to really recover, so until I get that time, it can be so. I just have to go on, do the right things, take care of yourself and hope for the best. “

Joel answered whether he has even questioned the medical team at all, something that was in people’s minds when he recently made hand stages in practice before he was excluded for game action:

“I think there is no blame. We’re doing all the right things. As I said, you can’t control some of these things. It’s no fault. It doesn’t matter how well you take care of yourself; Sometimes it happens. Sometimes you step on someone’s foot and you twist your ankle or you sprain your foot. Sometimes these things happen, so I don’t think there’s anyone to blame. I think we just need to continue and use all the resources we have. And do what to do. “

He thinks he has learned things about handling knee situation:

“Stop jumping in traffic. Little thing like that matter. It can hurt me a little; I may not be as dominant as I am usually in rebounding or defensively, but no matter what it takes to win. I can still be really good because I tend to be smart as far as location. Little thing like that. Outside of that, you need to keep doing what I have done. I have a good body. Physically all feels good. My body is in the right room so I just have to go on. “

Sixers is now 20-29 on the season, a game at the back of the last place in the play-in tournament. EMBIID discussed whether he still sees the team’s potential despite all injuries:

“We’re right there. We have to be healthy and consistent for a long period of time. We have to come in. As long as we remain healthy, I think we have the potential to still achieve what our goal is. It’s hard with the position we’re in, but I’ve always thought we can win no matter what. We just have to get healthy and stay healthy, and it’s with all of us. … The one thing I want to say is that I’m just proud of all these guys. They have been fighting for the past few weeks. Many of us, mainly me, have been out. I don’t want to be in that situation; I wish I could be more accessible. I wish I could help us sometimes. My body just doesn’t allow it to happen, but I do my best. As I said I am proud of all these guys – the intensity. And the coaches, they have done a good job with what they have, and guys have been amazing. Down the road I think it will help us a lot. “

As for the rest of the season, what are his expectations of his availability considering the unpredictability of the knee:

“I don’t know. I wish I could play every game. My goal is to be available and play each game. Whatever God decides, from that time, I cannot control it. I can only check what I can do every single day, what to focus on what keeps me on the floor. And no matter what happens, it happens. I don’t really worry about how many games I have to play, how much I want to be available. The goal is to be available every single night and if God wants it to happen well. If he doesn’t, back to the drawing board. “

Embiid has already been excluded for Wednesday night back-to-back against Miami. We will see how much more we see in the future of the version of Joel on the floor we witnessed in the victory over Dallas.