Sixers’ Nick Nurse: Joel Embiid ‘a little up and down’ as he prepares to have surgery

Nick Nurse has been in constant communications with 76ers center Joel Embiid since his lateral meniscus injury.

So the coach has a pretty good idea of how the reigning MVP is coping with preparing for this week’s surgery that will sideline him for an extended period of time.

“I think he’s probably a little up and down to be honest with you,” Nurse said before Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Wells Fargo Center. “But I get some pretty positive vibes, which is why I say he’s up. Some encouraging things. And then there’s time when he’s probably about what you would be like.”

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Embiid was the overwhelming favorite to win a second consecutive MVP award during a historic season.

That had a lot to do with Embiid being on pace to win his third consecutive scoring title while averaging a league- and career-best 35.3 points.

He had scored at least 30 points in 22 consecutive games. And by averaging 35.3 points in 34.0 minutes, Embiid was on pace to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA player since the 1954-55 season to average more points than minutes played. Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points in 48.5 minutes for the Philadelphia Warriors during the 1961-62 season.

But being sidelined for an extended period of time will deny the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder an opportunity to win NBA end-of-season awards. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players must participate in at least 65 of 82 games to be eligible.

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Embiid missed his 15th game of the season on Monday because of injuries, ailments, illness, and rest. He can miss only two of the Sixers’ remaining 33 games to be eligible to win his second straight MVP.

“There’s some tough moments to go though, thinking about what could be and what’s going to happen next, the road to recovery and all that kind of stuff,” Nurse said. “You know you got to take a positive spin on it. Anybody in life in an illness or sickness has got to say ‘I’m going to bounce back and I’m going be ready, right?’ I get some of that from him too.”

Unfortunately for Embiid, injuries have been an annual thing as a Sixer.

His only college season at Kansas ended early because of an injured back. His first two pro seasons were completely wiped out because of foot surgeries. When Embiid returned for Season 3 (2016-17), he missed 51 games because of season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was sidelined for an average of 18.3 games over the next six seasons.

Robert Covington, who is on his second go-round as a Sixer, remembers the first few seasons. He’s also witnessing his good friend go through disappointment, again.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Joel Embiid will have knee surgery this week. He’s expected to be out for an extended period.

“It’s definitely hard to watch,” Covington said, “because you watch how much time and effort you put into his craft. It [stinks] that it’s a constant thing that has happened to him in his career.

“The only thing we can do is be there for him throughout this whole process and we are bros. ‘We got your back. We are going to hold it down until you come back.’ "

Paul Reed made his 13th start of the season on Monday against the Mavericks. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in the first 12 starts. He scored a career-high 30 points with 13 rebounds with Embiid sidelined in a 111-105 road loss to the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 27.

“I’d rather have him playing for sure,” Reed said. “This isn’t the first time that he’s going to be out. ... I’m ready to go out there and fill in his shoes, and do what I got to do.”