Embiid struggles in season debut as Sixers fall to Knicks - ESPN

PHILADELPHIA — It took an extra three weeks, but Joel Embiid's regular season finally is underway.

The superstar center made his season debut Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center against the New York Knicks after missing the first nine games due to left knee injury management and then a three-game suspension for shoving a media member.

And after a predictably up-and-down performance across 26 minutes — 13 points on 2-for-11 shooting from the field (but 8 for 8 from the foul line), plus three rebounds, five assists and a block — in a 111-99 loss, Embiid said it will time for the confidence in exploding off his troublesome left knee to return.

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«It's all about confidence and trusting myself,» he said. «Pushing off… I talked about it a couple weeks ago when I talked to you guys, that's the mental hurdle that I got to get to. But I think I can still be pretty good even without that, which I'm going to get to at some point.

»I don't know when. Might be next game, might be in two games… [but] usually get it back pretty fast, so I'm fine."

Not much is fine these days with the 76ers (2-8), who now sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a matchup against the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on tap Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether Embiid or fellow star Paul George will play.

Previously, the 76ers have made it clear they'll plan to prioritize the health of their veteran stars over the course