1. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has played his way into first-team All-NBA status this season. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury but has mostly been available as he has played 54 of a possible 62 games. He has also averaged a career high 33.7 minutes per game.
While Embiid appears to be on the outside of the MVP race, he will be instrumental in Philadelphia orchestrating wins down the stretch as they look to take the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
The season hasn’t come without issues as Embiid has broadcasted his disdain for the number of three-point attempts he has taken and had a moment with Ben Simmons after an incidental elbow to the head. However, Embiid does appear to be coming into his role as the alpha on a team with potentially four max-caliber players.
On the year, Embiid ranks fourth in the NBA in Efficiency, per NBA.com. He’s scoring at the sixth-highest per game rate in the league and contributing 2.5 stocks (steals and blocks) a game as he continues to show dominance on both ends of the court.
Going forward, Embiid will need to return to the court healthy and assertive. For all the talent Philadelphia has compiled, Embiid remains the unquestioned best player. As he returns, so should Redick’s full speed run-arounds and a strengthened post defense.
The final 19 games of the regular season should be dedicated to locking up the three seed and gathering a further understanding of each top players role.