Joel Embiid has been fantastic for the Philadelphia 76ers following his return from an oblique injury. It's a small sample size, but in his three games since returning, the former MVP has averaged 30 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 49.2% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc.
It remains to be seen if this is going to be sustainable, but at the very least, 76ers fans should be happy with what they're seeing out of Embiid. And that's especially true given that the postseason is only a few weeks away, and he and the team are clicking at the perfect time.
Embiid is a big part of Philadelphia's success, and if he can stay healthy (I know, I know), they could be in a good spot to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
The thing is, though, Embiid looks really good, but there are still some concerns about his game. And in a recent episode of "The Zach Lowe Show," Wosny Lambre pointed these out, specifically that the 32-year-old still looks a bit too "careful about his left leg."
"I think offensively, the guy, he crawls out of bed, yawns into 25 points. There's just nothing teams can do, most matchups can do, against Joel. But defensively is what I got my eye on because he's still moving weirdly," Lambre said.
"In that Charlotte game this past weekend, which was an incredible game of course, he had a huge block on the baseline. I think Brandon Miller was shooting to either tie the game or go up by one, a corner three, Joel Embiid does an incredible closeout, blocks it. But if you go back and watch how he lands, he is so careful about his left leg ... how long can this actually last and how much can he actually expend himself on that?"
Joel Embiid could get exposed in the playoffs
Once one of the most dominant defensive big men in the NBA (earning All-Defensive Second Team three times and finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2017-18), Embiid is a shell of his former self. He is still a tremendous paint presence, but it's largely because of his seven-foot, 280-pound frame.
The Kansas alum is not nearly as mobile or versatile defensively as he used to be. And that could be a big problem in the playoffs, especially if the 76ers go up against a team like the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers, who are capable of going five-out and can make life tough for Embiid defensively.
Embiid is still a positive asset to Philadelphia, and that has been on full display in recent games. But there are still some problems in his game that not only might not improve, but they might only get worse over time.