5 reasons for the Sixers’ recent struggles

5 reasons for the Sixers’ recent struggles: Joel Embiid’s lack of touch

For whatever reason — COVID-related, basketball texture, or otherwise — Joel Embiid has completely lost his touch. Last season’s shooting numbers always felt a tad bit irreplaceable, but Embiid’s 40.7 field goal percentage on the season is a tough pill to swallow for someone most people expected to contend for MVP.

It has been ever rougher in Embiid’s three games since returning from COVID. Well, in two of three games, at least. After dropping 42 points on the Timberwolves in his return, Embiid has hit a wall. That could perhaps be because Doc Rivers played Embiid 45 minutes (!!!) in his first game back from COVID. It could, more broadly, just be chalked up to COVID. There is now an unfortunately long list of NBA players who have struggled to get right in the immediate aftermath of COVID.

There’s nothing you can earnestly blame on Embiid, especially when the rest of the offense is a dumpster fire around him. Harris and Maxey have both been equally poor of late, while Doc Rivers’ curious lineup choices and stale offense have done nothing to improve matters. He shot 3-of-17 from the field in the Boston game. He’s going to have better nights, plain and simple.

That said, Embiid is a 7-footer known for his dominance inside the arc. He has to shoot better than 40.7 percent from the field. A lot of it comes down to his mid-range jumper, which fell at historic rates last season. Embiid’s 3-point percentage remains elite for a player of his size and caliber (40.5 percent), so it’s that steady diet of jumpers inside the arc currently dragging down his efficiency.

All will be well eventually. The Sixers are working back into rhythm after missing their two best players for over a week. It happens. COVID is a bummer. That 8-2 start was not that long ago, and the bones of a competitive team remain intact.