Ritchie on Sixers with Embiid back: 'Will not be second-round ejection this year'

Jon Ritchie is very optimistic about the Philadelphia 76ers and their 2024 chances with reigning MVP Joel Embiid back.

"We can compete for the East now that we have Joel, now that we have this group of players assembled," Ritchie argued on Wednesday's 94WIP Morning Show. "It's not going to be an immediate second-round ejection. This team can compete for the Eastern Conference."

Embiid returned to the court for the first time since suffering a left lateral meniscus injury on January 30th, scoring 24 points in 29 minutes in last night's comeback win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I had felt hopeless with the 76ers in the last two months," Joe DeCamara admitted. "Last night, I got hope in the first time in awhile.

The Sixers, now 41-35, are the No. 8 seed in the East, but just 2.0 games back of the No. 6 seeded Indiana Pacers.

Philadelphia has not made it past the second-round in the playoffs during Embiid's tenure, getting eliminated in the Eastern Conference semi's in five of the last six postseasons.