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Joel Embiid’s preseason disaster raises scary questions for the 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers’ championship aspirations took a jarring hit in their preseason opener, as star center Joel Embiid delivered one of the most alarming performances of his career. In just 24 minutes against the Brooklyn Nets, Embiid managed a dismal 1-of-5 shooting, eight turnovers, and a series of baffling mental lapses—including a viral misplay where he failed to secure a wide-open alley-oop pass before missing an easy layup.

His struggles extended beyond the highlight-reel blunder, with sloppy decision-making in the paint and a lack of focus that left defenders exploiting his hesitation. The concerns are compounded by the team’s already thin frontcourt depth, after backup Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the preseason, forcing the Sixers to lean even harder on Embiid’s availability and reliability.

With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now on the roster, the pressure on Embiid to deliver at an elite level has never been higher—yet his preseason showing raises serious questions about whether he can replicate his MVP-caliber form from early 2024, especially as he approaches the physical and mental demands of a deep playoff run. The Sixers’ bench, bolstered by offseason additions like Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, may provide depth elsewhere, but the center position remains a glaring weakness, and Embiid’s recent play suggests the team’s title hopes could hinge on an unsustainable reliance on his production.

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