1. This is Embiid’s team
The Simmons injury will only increase the importance of Joel Embiid. It’s Embiid who has delivered two narrow victories for Philadelphia. His presence has buoyed an otherwise stagnant offense, often creating looks solely by standing in the paint and panicking the defense.
Embiid has played his best basketball of the season in Orlando. It has only been three games — three games against subpar competition, no less — but this is the sharpest Embiid has looked in a long time. Maybe ever.
Through three games, he is averaging 32.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.7 steals. He’s shooting 58.3 percent from the field, he’s averaging 11.0 shots from the charity stripe, and he’s anchoring an otherwise dreadful defense.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Embiid’s willingness and ability to pass out of double teams. It has been his Achilles heel for years — the one flaw that has barred him from consistent top-10 production. Embiid forces double teams like wind rustles the leaves. It’s constant — almost every touch within 15 feet of the basket, Embiid is met with another body.
There aren’t three players in the league who alter defensive strategies more drastically than Embiid. He’s someone the defense keeps constant tabs on, despite the well-documented inefficiency of post-ups in the modern game. He’s the exception to the rule, and someone whose gravity has always created open looks.
Now, Embiid is taking advantage of those open looks. He’s patiently reading double teams, carefully considering his options, and making high-level reads — both as a scorer and a passer. He is aggressively hunting touches, but not only to score. His four assists per game is easily the most promising stat listed above.
If Embiid can continue to pick apart help-happy defenses, the Sixers will have a chance against anybody. Philadelphia has done an abysmal job of surrounding Embiid with quality shooters and quick decision-makers, but even so, the Sixers can feast when the 7-footer is wheeling and dealing in the post.
He dropped 30 points and 11 rebounds on 11-for-20 shooting in Wednesday’s win. If this is a sign of things to come, Philadelphia should be ecstatic — even if the rest of the team hasn’t quite figured things out yet.