The Philadelphia 76ers have championship-or-bust expectations for the upcoming season, but the outcome matters most for Joel Embiid.
The former MVP has yet to make it past the Eastern Conference Semifinals in his career, but now has the surrounding roster to win a title. The Sixers' additions of Paul George, Caleb Martin, Jared McCain, and more place them alongside the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at the top of the Eastern Conference. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins is among those adamant that Embiid is facing the most pressure in the NBA.
"He's under the most pressure. He's under Jayson Tatum-type pressure," Perkins said on NBA Today. "There's no other player in the league that's under [more pressure than] Joel Embiid. When you look at the bigs around the NBA that you put him in the same conversation with, Anthony Davis has an NBA championship; Nikola Jokic has an NBA championship; [and] Giannis Antetokounmpo has a championship."
"There's no other player in the league that's under [more pressure than] Joel Embiid." 😳 @KendrickPerkins says the Sixers have the pieces they need to win it all next season 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rrkFM12Jmh
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 19, 2024
The Big Three of Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey's biggest obstacle is injuries. While the reigning Most Improved Player tends to remain healthy, both Embiid and George struggle to stay on the floor. If Philadelphia can reach the postseason at full strength, a championship is well within reach.
