Sixers head coach Nick Nurse thinks Philadelphia is on the cusp of figuring out its next treatment plan for All-Star center Joel Embiid, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelpahi Inquirer. At the end of February, Embiid was shut down for the rest of the season with left knee swelling.
“…I think they are getting closer to that,” Nurse said. “I think there’s another [evaluation] at some point today, as well. I know they met a lot and talked a lot and [saw] a lot of people… So we are working at it, but we just don’t have a definitive answer quite yet.”
Pompey notes that Philadelphia and Embiid have pondered a follow-up surgery on the knee. He last went under the knife over a year ago, but the ligament has yet to fully recuperate since a February 2024 meniscus surgery.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
During the 2024 offseason, the Sixers made a flurry of big signings in anticipation of a deep playoff run. In the priciest of those deals, Embiid was signed to an optimistic three-year, $192.9MM contract extension last summer, which only kicks in during 2026/27. The team’s best player will end his season having played just 19 games, and many of the club’s new additions have regressed mightily from their 2023/24 runs. In another column, Pompey details how Philadelphia’s summer splurge could adversely impact its roster-building for multiple years.
Celtics center Al Horford, one of the league’s oldest active players at age 38, received major praise from his colleagues following a 111-101 victory over the Lakers on Saturday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Playing 37 minutes with Kristaps Porzingis once again hurt, Horford scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four dimes. “Al is one of a kind,” All-NBA Boston forward Jayson Tatum said. “…I’m the biggest Al Horford fan there is. I love that guy.” Head coach Joe Mazzulla, meanwhile, called the 6’9″ vet “a future Hall of Famer.” With his longevity, scoring output, team success (he’s won one NBA championship and two NCAA titles), and five All-Star appearances, Horford does have a case. “Al is just old reliable,” All-Star Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said. “He’s just the ultimate connector for us on both ends.” Across 50 games in his 18th pro season, Horford is averaging 8.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.6 steals a night. He’s notching a .418/.358/.893 slash line.
With the postseason likely out of reach for this year’s Raptors, the team is prioritizing player development, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. To wit, Toronto is getting encouraging minutes from rookies Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamison Battle, plus solid performances from two-way players Jared Rhoden and A.J. Lawson. The club has credited intense pre-game workout sessions among its younger players for some of those players’ growth. “We push ourselves in those (pre-game) workouts and we get out there in games and try to replicate that,” Shead said.