The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA – Joel Embiid is expected to play this week for the Philadelphia 76ers, barring another setback, and there’s always that possibility with the 7-footer, after he won Olympic gold, signed a contract extension, suffered a knee injury and was the root of two NBA investigations, got into a fight with a columnist and received a technical foul for waving a towel from the bench.

Oh, and to make the season worse in Philadelphia, the 76ers simply aren’t a very good team without Embiid.

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

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

Embiid, a seven-time All-Star, is returning from what the team called left knee management and the end of a three-game suspension for shoving a member of the media with the Sixers languishing at 2-7 and near the Eastern Conference final. .

“We’re not where we want to be without the big guy,” Sixers freshman forward Paul George said. “Someone as talented as him. He is the piece. We should continue playing at a high level and competing, trying to win games. There’s no doubt, if you get someone like that, everyone’s job will be a little easier.”

The 76ers’ problems don’t all come down to Embiid’s 17-foot size.

George, the summer’s expected free-agent signing hit, has been limited to four games this season due to a knee injury, which left him with a minutes restriction that cost him all overtime in a hard-won victory. sorrows on Sunday about Charlotte. Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star last season and the league’s most improved player, could miss a week to 10 days with a hamstring injury. Backup centers Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele can’t come close to matching Embiid’s elite production.

“I think we’re still trying to figure these things out,” George said. “I’m still trying to get fit, get my legs back. I’ll have these legs under me again. I think we show signs of just competing, playing hard. Leave it on the ground. I think that has been the message. Regardless of what’s going on, just put it down, play hard, maximum effort. That is something we can all contribute.”

In size and stature, the 76ers have focused on Embiid since his rookie season. Without playing a game in uniform number 21, this season has been filled with hardships for the 30-year-old franchise anchor. Yes, some of the problems have been his doing, some issues have been intentionally shady, and others are simply simmering frustration boiling over for more games on the sidelines.

By his own admission, Embiid says he won’t play back-to-back games this season, which means he won’t play Wednesday against Cleveland. Sixers fans know the drill: Wednesday tickets on secondary markets like StubHub are as low as $10 in the top section and around $30 in the 100 tier.

The level of belief in Philadelphia 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 effort after not being fit after playing in the Paris Olympics.