The 1-2 Philadelphia 76ers look to even up against the resilient Memphis Grizzlies. But head coach has placed this team’s future on the back of Joel Embiid. Tonight, Joel Embiid shows why.
After an off-season that did all it was expected to do, namely restore optimism for the fans of the , some bouncing back to earth was surely due. But that reentry was a tad premature, as the Philadelphia 76ers have seen none to very limited play from a half of the team’s roster. In fact, if not for the heroics of Richaun Holmes this preseason, the mood of the entire team might be subdued. But there are other forces at work now. Like a heated pot filled with water, the bubbles are just beginning to form.
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We’ve been awaiting the game of Joel Embiid to arrive, despite two years sabbatical from the NBA. So far, it has been arriving, a piece at a time.
In game one of the preseason, his post defense arrived against the Boston Celtics. In that debut, he scored six points. But the 7-foot-2 center pulled down four rebounds and rejected two shots. His defense flashed for the NBA. In his second outing, he showed he could be just as physical as Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat. In that contest, Embiid scored five points, pulled in three rebounds, and put up one block. But as he flashed his strength, he began to understand that he had to exploit his size and strength to score consistently.
In game three, Embiid built upon the first two games, scoring 12 points, pulling down four rebounds, and blocking a shot in 13 minutes. Now he faces the Memphis Grizzlies.