Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid continues to acknowledge he will likely need another surgery on his knee to help him get back to being one of the best players in the NBA. Speaking to reporters after Thursday's 124-104 loss to the Boston Celtics,

Joel Embiid knows the level he needs to get to in order to be back to where he was when he won the NBA MVP award in 2023. But injuries, specifically his knee, have kept him out of the Philadelphia 76ers' lineup regularly and from returning to the player who averaged 30 points per game for three straight seasons.

The Philadelphia 76ers returned from the All-Star break with a blowout loss at the hands of the Boston Celtics. It leaves them with a 20-35 record and the 11th spot in the East. Remarkably, a play-in spot is still within reach. The 10th-placed Chicago Bulls have a 22-34 record. In contrast, the Warriors are 10th in the West with a 28-27 record.