The Philadelphia 76ers have not been at full strength this season, yet they have managed to carve out a winning record thus far. Most of the credit belongs to their lethal backcourt rotation led by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes, with Joel Embiid peppering in some solid production as well despite his stringent minutes restriction.
Embiid has appeared in six games as of writing, and in just a hair above 23 minutes per outing, he has averaged nearly 20 points per game. But are we really surprised with this level of production from the former Most Valuable Player? The answer is no, and the more striking talking point about the superstar is the fact that the 76ers have now given him something he has never had before.
Unlike in years past, Philly now has multiple dynamic and high-scoring guards next to Embiid. Previously, the 76ers only had a single Ben Simmons or James Harden to try and make life easier for him. Now, he has three to four players who can do the heavy lifting in the backcourt while also setting the table for him and their other teammates.
The 76ers finally surrounded Joel Embiid with something he’s never had before
Maxey has been Embiid’s main sidekick for the last couple of years, but this season, he has taken a huge leap, burgeoning into a legitimate MVP candidate. It si not just his already lethal scoring which improve, though. His playmaking, which people feared to have plateaued last season, has also improved by leaps and bounds, allowing him to fully become an elite point guard.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe has also stood out among his rookie class as he has taken the league by storm thanks to his eye-popping athleticism, maturity on and off the court, and sheer talent not only on offense, but also on defense. He has also managed to accelerate his growth as a facilitator, thriving on the secondary as aanother bailout option for the team.
There is also Quentin Grimes, who is arguably the best floor-spacer the 76ers have to complement Embiid and those two guards. After a summer-long push-and-pull with the front office, he was eager to prove that he is worth a lucrative deal, and he will most likely get what he wants next year given his highly efficient play as their resident sixth man.
We have not even mentioned Jared McCain, who is too talented not to overcome his post-injury rust. Once he manages to figure things out, he will give Embiid another smooth operator who can make life easy on him.
The 76ers have one of the most well-rounded backcourts in the NBA. And with more reps together when the team gets healthier bodies, Joel Embiid will definitely have an easier time returning to his dominant, MVP-caliber form, albeit within current his limitations.