Philadelphia 76ers: One Christmas gift for every player

Philadelphia 76ers gifts (Photo by Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers gifts (Photo by Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
17 of 17
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Joel Embiid: More stamina

Averaging 26.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, Joel Embiid is a legitimate MVP candidate. The Sixers are worlds better whenever the Cameroonian is on the court, with the defense and offense both benefiting significantly from his presence.

When it comes to Embiid’s production, however, once notable trend has developed. He’s far more dominant in first halves, getting off to quick starts before fading late in games. Sometimes it can be traced to Brett Brown, but more often than not, Embiid simply gets tired and settles for worse shots.

One look at the stats shows the vast difference between first-half Embiid and second-half Embiid. Having Butler to take over fourth quarters helps, but the Sixers need Embiid to maintain his productivity down the stretch of games. That will be especially big later in the season and the playoffs.