Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid made a strong defensive declaration after beating the Knicks on Opening Night, but is it sustainable? Embiid hasn't been eligible an All-Defensive Team in three years. Injury setback have constantly derailed his longevity throughout an 82-game season. Could 2026-27 be different?

After Embiid and the 76ers held the Knicks to 100 points in a six-point victory on the road, Mike Wilbon isn't convinced that Embiid's body can withstand another All-Defensive season despite the convincing performance, he said, per ESPN's NBA Today.

“Can his body stand up to the rigors of going out to guard like he did six-eight seasons ago? Do you want him doing that? It looks great in November,” Wilbon said. “But are we going to wake up in February and see Joel Embiid still making that effort with those knees?”

For ESPN's Kendrick Perkins, what's most important for the 76ers is making sure their supporting cast around Joel Embiid can take the brunt of a vigorious 82-game season in hopes of making sure Embiid's healthy for a deep playoff run.

“You don't have to. All he has to do is be healthy,” Perkins said. “Last night was a statement win. Not only a statement win for the 76ers, but it was a proposal to the city of Philadelphia. They got down on one knee and asked for their hand in marriage, and Philly said yes. Think about this for a second. What is the make-up of Philadelphia? Gritty, fiercely proud, and deeply historic, working-class coach.”

Beating the Knicks on an ugly shooting night is a testament to the 76ers' ability to come out with a win off pure talent, as Kendrick Perkins noted.

“We have a terminolgy in the locker room that says that was an ugly win, meaning you had to go get it out the mud,” Perkins added. “That's what the 76ers did last night. They shot 42 percent from the field, 28 percent from three, and how did they win that game? With the physicality, the tenacity, the passion on the defensive end of the basketball.”

For ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the mere fact that Embiid is talking about making an All-Defensive Team is a testament to how healthy he truly feels in 2026-27.

“Here's the thing: LeBron has literally hated playing defensive center for decades, but he believes in this team,” Windhorst said. “Embiid talking about winning awards on Opening Night. You know he's feeling good.”

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However, when Mike Wilbon asked Brian Windhorst if this is sustainable for Joel Embiid, he couldn't say for sure.