Joel Embiid is coming off one of his strongest performances of the season after scoring 31 points and grabbing five rebounds in 32 minutes against Chicago.
Even so, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Embiid didn’t appear to be moving comfortably throughout the game, as discomfort in his right knee seemed to limit his mobility at times.
While his production remained impressive, the physical limitations were noticeable when watching how he moved on both ends of the floor.
Pompey also suggested that the Bulls may have tried to take advantage of that limitation by targeting Embiid defensively, attempting to pull him into actions that forced him to move laterally or cover more ground.
However, head coach Nick Nurse did not immediately agree with that assessment.
He said he wanted to review the film before drawing conclusions, adding that he felt Embiid had several strong defensive possessions during the game.
Nurse emphasized that he didn’t want to make a definitive judgment without a closer look at the footage, suggesting that the performance may have been better defensively than it appeared in real time.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, George, Beauchamp, Oubre https://t.co/7anFZhlIcQ pic.twitter.com/o18MzoULnu
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) December 28, 2025
