Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers had a night to forget in Cleveland, and the big man’s shooting struggles hit a new low in the process. Even so, the Sixers star insists he has not lost faith in himself.

Embiid went 0-of-9 from the field in Friday’s 119-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, including 0-of-2 from beyond the arc. That dropped him to just 3-of-28 from 3-point range on the season, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

All six of his points came at the free-throw line, where he went a perfect 6-of-6, and he added seven rebounds and two blocks.

After the game, Embiid opened up about how tough the slump has been.

“I believe in myself, but you know, when you’re in these moments and nothing is going in, whether it’s 3, big range, everything, layups, it’s hard to just not look at yourself and be down,” Embiid said, via McMenamin. “But yeah, you gotta keep going and stay up and keep walking.”

Joel Embiid with some honest reflection on his shooting woes after his 3-point total dropped to 3-for-28 for the season after another 0-for-2 night: “I believe in myself but when you’re in these moments and nothing is going in … it’s hard not to look at yourself and be down” pic.twitter.com/dH94TFpgvJ

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 7, 2026

It is a far cry from the version of Embiid who has made the 3-pointer a real weapon over the years. He shot 33.3% from deep last season, and head coach Nick Nurse has encouraged him in the past to take more threes, not fewer.

The shooting woes have become a running theme for Embiid early in the season. Just two nights earlier, he went 0-of-3 from deep in a win over the Detroit Pistons and joked afterward that it “might’ve been the last three I ever take.” He still found ways to contribute in that one, posting 26 points and 15 rebounds.

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Friday was a rough night for Philadelphia as a whole, as the Sixers never led by more than two points. The Sixers shot 36.5% from the field and 25% from 3-point range, while LeBron James struggled in his return to Cleveland with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting and six turnovers.

VJ Edgecombe led the way with 19 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 17.

Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavs with 23 points, while Evan Mobley chipped in 22.

The loss snapped Philadelphia’s five-game winning streak and dropped the team to 8-2. Embiid and the Sixers will look to bounce back when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.