Joel Embiid: I'm 'Probably at Fault' for Some of 76ers' Struggles; Cites Injuries

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid took the blame for his team's notable playoff struggles and inability to make a deep postseason run in an interview with David Marchese of the New York Times, citing his injuries over the years.

When asked whether he questions if Philadelphia is the place where he can win a championship, Embiid said: "I'm sure everybody asks themselves questions if you care about the right things and you care about winning and it hasn't happened. Which, I'm probably at fault, too."

When asked why he would be at fault, Embiid elaborated: "Injuries. I don't perform at the level that I should. I could take the easy way out and not play through injuries, but I'm just like, I'll play. So that's all my fault probably because I haven't performed at times at the level that I know I can and I know I should. But then again, if you want to win, the thing that I always talked about is stability, continuity."

Embiid then stressed the importance of continuity in pursuit of a championship, citing successful teams that have kept their core together for multiple years before reaching the summit, like the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics.

Last season, Embiid missed two months with a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee, and he ultimately missed more than half the regular season. Embiid visibly struggled in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks at times with a bothersome knee. He has missed 16 or more games in seven of his eight NBA seasons.

But this simply could be a case where Embiid, as the leader of the team, is taking ownership of the team's playoff problems and putting the blame on himself when the issues aren't truly his fault. He's a fantastic player when healthy, winning the 2022-23 NBA MVP award and averaging a career-high 34.7 points per game last year alongside 11.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists. And he's the primary reason why Philadelphia has been a perennial playoff team for years now.

Simply put, Philadelphia hasn't been able to build a team around him to beat the East's elite squads—at least not yet. As Embiid noted, stars have come and gone, and the team hasn't been able to develop a consistent core.

However, that should change now with the emergence of Tyrese Maxey, who just made his first All-Star team and signed a five-year max deal. Philadelphia has also signed six-time All-NBA standout Paul George to a four-year contract.

Ultimately, Philadelphia is still looking for its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2001. And this year should be a tough road to get there given how daunting the top tiers of the East seem to be. But if Embiid can stay healthy for most of the year and this new core gels, then the 76ers may finally be poised for a breakthrough.