Unfortunately, the Philadelphia 76ers can't just simply phase out Joel Embiid on offense and thrive when he doesn't have it going.
The one-time scoring champion is still critical to the Sixers' success. That much was evident when the Sixers paid a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers and watched him put up just nine shots from the field, with all of them missing.
Embiid had a rough offensive outing. As a whole, the 76ers stalled. And while they teased a comeback once or twice throughout the game, the final result was a blowout loss. Embiid's offensive struggles weren't the sole reason why the Sixers lost, but he certainly contributed to it.
Sure, it's just one game for the Sixers, who started the season off with an Eastern Conference-leading 8-2 record, but they can't just overlook the reality of Embiid's shooting struggles. The veteran center established himself as an efficient three-level shooter throughout his career, but he's been far from that this season. The big man states that simply getting "easy ones" could help him jump-start the best offensive version of himself this year. So, the Sixers need to help him find the easy ones.
Cater to the big man
It kind of sounds counterproductive. If Tyrese Maxey is the leading scorer, while VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown can clearly heat up, with a sprinkle of everything that LeBron James brings to the table, then why should the 76ers cater to a struggling Embiid? It's simple: he's a rhythm guy.
We see it every season with Embiid, and we sent out warnings during the preseason. At the start of each season, Embiid typically starts slow. It takes a week or two for him to get settled in before he returns to his usual scoring form, which results in averages in the mid-20s, with near-50 percent shooting.
This time around might be slower, due to the massive changes up top with the addition of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. The veteran center also said that he's adjusting to his new frame after years of injury as well, so there is a mechanical fix he's working on. There is a lot going into it, but the 76ers need to be patient and do what they can to cater to the 32-year-old center's needs.
As much as everybody wants Embiid to simply be a luxury for the 76ers' offense, that's just not the case yet. When he's off, so is the rest of the team. A big part of resolving their half-court offense is getting Embiid to raise his shooting from 38.1% to the 48.9% he had last season.
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