Kendrick Perkins Praises Joel Embiid-less 76ers Amid Recent Success
Through the first half of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers looked poised to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid was in the midst of another MVP caliber season, Tyrese Maxey blossomed into an All-Star, and the team had great depth following the James Harden trade. That said, everything took a turn for the worst when the superstar center suffered a knee injury against the Golden State Warriors.
For the past month, the Sixers have been forced to play without their franchise cornerstone. There were some struggles early, but the team appears to be finding their groove as of late. Philly is 5-5 over their last ten games, and remains in the mix of an air-tight Eastern Conference.
Following the Sixers' recent string of victories, Kendrick Perkins gave the team some well deserved credit. He applauded them for staying afloat without Embiid, citing multiple factors to their success.
"I must admit, I thought the Philadelphia 76ers were gonna fall off like no limit when Joel Embiid got injured, but they have done the complete opposite," Perkins said Sunday. "We saw Daryl Morey make some moves at the trade deadline, and they still have a great mixture of veterans with the young guys, and Nick Nurse has done an exceptional job of keeping this team afloat."
One of the other things Perkins brought up was the addition of Kyle Lowry, who came over via the buyout market. Through his first five games with the Sixers, the former All-Star is averaging 8.0 PPG and 5.8 APG on 37.5% shooting from deep.
At this time, there is no telling when Embiid will be back in action. When he spoke to the media last week, he made it clear that he hopes on suiting up again this season. With this mindset, it makes it even more crucial for the Sixers to stay afloat. Depending on when a possible return happens, they could re-climb the standings if they have enough time.
