Patrick Beverley implies Joel Embiid's comeback for 76ers doesn't guarantee Philadelphia's Playoffs chances

Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers from injury on Wednesday. It was his first game back since reinjuring his knee on January 30. The MVP scored 24 points in 29 minutes on 6-of-14 shooting as the Sixers beat the OKC Thunder 109-105. His return comes at the perfect time as the Sixers are slipping down the Eastern standings.

Embiid’s return greatly helps the Sixers chances of making the playoffs as they have slipped into the play-in tournament seeds. Many believe the Sixers are contenders once again, now that Embiid is healthy. Others are not so convinced.

Joel Embiid’s former teammate Patrick Beverley is not convinced Embiid’s return guarantees that the Sixers will advance in the playoffs. Beverley said Embiid is not a guarantee in the chaos of the Play-In Tournament. He made the comments on his podcast “The Pat Bev Show."

“The play-in is just one game though. That’s the thing. It is so tough, especially if you never played in it before. I am not discrediting Philly at all. Having Joel in any f**king game makes you one of the top teams having him healthy. But there’s no feel; it’s just one game. It is like March Madness; anything can happen,” Beverley said.

Embiid helped the Sixers to a win in his first game back against the Thunder. The Sixers have six games remaining, and Embiid should be available for the final stretch after a strong showing in his return.

Can Joel Embiid lead the Sixers to playoff success?

The Philadelphia 76ers have never advanced past the Eastern Conference semifinals in the Joel Embiid era. Embiid often struggles with injuries late in the year. Now he has had two months off and could be healthy at the perfect time to lead the Sixers to playoff glory.

However, the Sixers have fallen far from the top tier of the East they were in when Embiid was healthy and playing at an MVP level. Now Philadelphia will likely have to go through the Play-In Tournament to make the playoffs. They will then play the mighty Boston Celtics or Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokoinmpo in the first round even if they make it out.

As things stand, the Sixers are the eighth seed and 1.5 games back of the Indiana Pacers in seventh. If the season ended today, they would have to play at Indiana with the winner advancing to play the Bucks in the first round. If the Sixers lose, then they would have to play the winner of the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls play-in game.

Both franchises have plenty of experience with the win-or-go-home nature of the play-in tournament. Joel Embiid would have to pull off some heroics just to get the Sixers in the first round, where they would be a heavy underdog against the Boston Celtics as the eighth seed. Even with Embiid coming back, the road is not easy for the Sixers to make the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2001.