The Philadelphia 76ers had as good of an offseason as they could have had, which is just about everything Joel Embiid can ask for in his continued bid to win a championship. Embiid is definitely good enough to become the best player on a title-winning team, but having the right pieces around him is crucial so that he could be the best version of himself.
Embiid is a monster who averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game last season on 53/39/88 shooting splits, and this only serves as a peek into just how unstoppable of a force he is as a scorer. The 76ers star may be getting flamed on social media on the regular due to his foul-baiting ways, but there's no denying just how effective he is in putting points on the board.
In fact, Joel Embiid knows how unstoppable of a scorer he is that he recently declared that he could average 50 points in the NBA if this one certain defensive strategy was outlawed.
“I would [average 50 points without double teams]. All you would have to do is just throw the ball down there every single possession, I’ll get to the free throw line or I’ll score,” Embiid said in an appearance on The Check Ball Show. “Most teams, they have two big men, three big men? Next thing you know, they all gonna be in foul trouble. Even with the double teams nowadays, those same guys are still getting foul trouble. If you were not allowed to double, that's hard.”
Indeed, as someone listed at 7'0, 280 lbs., Joel Embiid can overpower most of his peers at the center position. Whenever Embiid is on the floor, the opposition is always required to put a large center on him lest they allow him to feast down low or give up open shots from the perimeter when the double teams inevitably come.
Embiid has improved so much as a passer that even doubling him is not a surefire way to slow down the 76ers. This is especially the case now that they have improved across multiple positions this offseason, most notably with the addition of Paul George.
Can the 76ers finally get over the hump in the Joel Embiid era?
Joel Embiid has been receiving a ton of clowning on social media due to him not being able to make it to the Conference Finals yet in his career. But is this the year that the 76ers finally get over that hump on their way to, perhaps, winning it all?
Philadelphia definitely has the pieces to threaten for Eastern Conference supremacy. The addition of Paul George opens up the lane so much for Embiid, what with George being one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. George can also facilitate and run the offense in a pinch to stress defenses even further when Embiid draws multiple defenders.
Of course, Tyrese Maxey is still around to be Embiid's main dance partner on screening actions, and with George, Caleb Martin, and Eric Gordon spacing the floor, it will be incredibly hard to defend the 76ers' offense. The question for the 76ers will be their health come playoff time, but with their roster being more talented than it has ever been in years, perhaps Embiid doesn't have to go full throttle in the regular season, saving his best for when the lights are at their brightest.
Follow Us
Subscribe
