Philadelphia 76ers: The Team will go as far as Joel Embiid Does

By Chuck Booth | Oct 10, 2016

Oct 6, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) during the first half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Philadelphia 76ers fans have spent what seems like an eternity waiting for Joel “The Process” Embiid to be healthy enough to step on a basketball court.

This preseason their patience is being rewarded. Embiid has looked rusty in his preseason action for the Philadelphia 76ers, but what can be expected from a guy that hasn’t played a meaningful game of basketball in about two years. But against the Cavaliers, we saw the best game of Embiid’s career and it left us salivating for more.

He scored 12 points had four rebounds and two turnovers while even showcasing his shooting touch by knocking down a three from the top of the arc. That game was a small glimpse into the potential that Embiid possesses along with why without Ben Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers will have to run their offense through them.

Embiid has the highest ceiling of any person on the team because he has tools that people his size usually don’t have. He has a solid midrange game that can be the key to unlocking NBA defenses and while his defense currently leaves much to be desired, that’s more because of lack of game time than anything. As the season gets rolling expect Embiid to come into his own and Brett Brown to begin turning the offense over to him.

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While getting the ball to Okafor in the low post is a sure bet for points, it makes for a pretty vanilla offense since the Philadelphia 76ers aren’t proficient at shooting the three. But placing Embiid in that role means that you have a low post presence that is also a threat from 18 feet. The three is icing on top since defenses will usually leave big men open at the top of the arc since no one expects them to shoot.

In the beginning, to offset Embiid’s defense the center pairing should be Embiid and Nerlens Noel so that Noel’s elite defense can leave Embiid open to move more as well as cover up for his mistakes. Okafor would enter off the bench as the bruiser to get the gob done and to offer a change of pace for Embiid.

Okafor coming off the bench would also suit him because of the knee issues that have sidelined him during the preseason. Since he hasn’t practiced yet, it would be good for Okafor to start the season on a slower note to avoid risk of reinjuring the knee.

Since the Sixers have better guards to find their big men in tight spaces this could lead to some nights where they stuff the stat sheet. Embiid has elite offensive potential and if he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit.

It will be interesting to see what scheme’s Brett Brown uses to get Embiid the ball but if the Philadelphia 76ers want to win more than 20 games (they do) the offense should move through the talented big. He has to get used to keeping the ball up so that he doesn’t get stripped in the paint but that’s something that comes with coaching and more experience. Embiid will learn as the season progresses and it will be fun to watch.

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After the Cavs game Embiid said “I felt more comfortable tonight. I’m still thinking that I should have been the number one pick. They didn’t pick me. So yeah that had something to do with it.”

Hopefully, Embiid will bring this fire to more games for the Philadelphia 76ers during the season because it could mean good things for the team. Embiid is the most important cog in “the process” and he’s well aware of it. Let’s hope that he makes the process worthwhile.