He returned with seven games left in the regular season and missed two because of load management. The injury limited him during the Sixers’ first-round series loss to the New York Knicks and while helping Team USA win a gold medal in that summer’s Paris Olympics. While he had shown some glimpses of his former self, this season has been a struggle.

As losers of nine games in a row, the Sixers (20-38) began Friday a game behind the Nets for the 11th seed in the East.

Joel Embiid is done for the season, at last shut down following the lingering effects of knee surgery. But plenty of hard questions remain in Philadelphia.