4. Embiid, short but sweet
Brett Brown was sure to limit Joel Embiid’s action in this one, and wisely so. Nothing is more important for Philadelphia than delivering Embiid to the postseason at full health. These scrimmages are useful for experimentation, but there’s not much to experiment with when it comes to the big fella.
The Sixers have worked hard to develop Embiid as the hub of the offense. He spent a lot of time in the pick-and-roll against Memphis, a notable evolution for the Sixers offense. He didn’t get a ton of post touches, but his comfort popping into open space — not to mention the countless open shots his screens helped create — was a major positive.
Embiid took a couple minutes to settle in, but once he did, it was full steam ahead. He scored 10 points and corralled six boards in 13 minutes. He was a presence at the rim on defense, he hit two of his four 3-point attempts, and he drew a couple fouls in typical Embiid fashion.
As the cherry on top, Embiid was a jovial presence on the bench. He celebrated 3s for Ben Simmons and Norvel Pelle, and his broad smile graced several cuts to the socially-distant bench. It’s important for Embiid to have fun in Orlando. He’s at his best when he’s having fun, and he seemed to have plenty in this one.