CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers have not gone deep in the playoffs with Joel Embiid leading the way. Although the big man isn’t faultless for their continual postseason shortcomings, he’s the main reason why they’re always in title conversations — and he has sacrificed more than anyone in that quest for a championship.

Year after year, Embiid suffers some type of injury that eats into his playing time and/or makes him less impactful. This season, Embiid is taking things slower than ever, building up trust in his left knee after the latest operation on his meniscus — the same one he needed surgery for in 2017. Embiid’s ramp-up process will cost him at least five games to start the 2024-25 season and probably more.

It’s mentioned often, in Philadelphia and elsewhere in the basketball-watching world, how Embiid gets injured like clockwork. Just as consistent as his injuries — whether they are caused by something in or out of his control — is his willingness to return as quickly as possible.

“I‘ve broken my face twice. I came back early with the risk of losing my vision. I’ve had broken fingers. I still came back,” Embiid said. Each of his playoff runs has been defined by some kind of injury, often several. Only once, in the playoffs during the Bubble in 2020, has he not had to fight through some type of immediate damage to his body to play basketball.

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