- CLUTCH Summary: Sixers big man Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the entire NBA.
- It has likely gotten lost in the shuffle thanks to the NBA Playoffs, but Embiid had himself a tremendous campaign.
- Joel Embiid is still only scratching the surface of his talents, leaving the Sixers in a great spot moving forward.
Things did not really end in the best possible way for Joel Embiid and his Philadelphia 76ers last season. The last, and perhaps the most unforgettable memory we have of the 25-year-old, is of him crouching on the baseline helplessly as he agonizingly watched Kawhi Leonard's game-winning fade-away jumper drop in the basket in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
That was pretty much as painful as basketball gets for anybody, so for Embiid's sake, let's just choose to focus on the better moments of his 2018-19 season. Last year, the 7-foot big man had the best season of his career to date, as he put up 27.5 points (on 48.4 percent shooting), 13.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.9 blocks in 33.7 minutes per contest. Embiid was also a legitimate threat from distance all season long, as he connected on 1.2 treys per ballgame on a rather lackluster 30.0-percent clip. He was also able to stay relatively healthy (for his standards) for the majority of the season, as he logged a career-high 64 games played during the regular season.
Embiid was called up to the All-Star squad in his second consecutive season, and very few, if any, will argue against his selection as the starting center for the Eastern Conference. The Cameroonian had a handful of memorable performances during the season, and below, we highlight his Top 4 games from 2018-19.
4. vs. Boston Celtics (Mar 20, 2019)
The matchup between the Sixers and the Boston Celtics has recently become one of the most heated rivalries in today's NBA. It is the C's that have the upper hand, with head coach Brad Steven's men usually coming out on top against the Sixers. Well, this definitely wasn't the case on this fateful evening, with Embiid leading the way for a famous 118-115 home floor victory against Boston.
Embiid did his thing, as the two-time All-Star accounted for 37 points, a career-high 22 rebounds, four assists, a steal, a block, and three turnovers in 41 minutes of play. Amazingly, he torched the Celtics on just 17 field goal attempts (he made eight), as Embiid did his damage from the charity stripe, going a pristine 20-of-21 from the line.
3. at Brooklyn Nets (Apr 20, 2019 – Eastern Conference Playoffs Round 1, Game 4)
Last season marked just Embiid's second playoff appearance in his career, but for the most part, he did not look like a postseason newcomer. One of his best performances in the playoffs was in Game 4 of Philadelphia's first-round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
Embiid missed Game 3 due to a knee injury, and people were already once again questioning his ability to remain healthy when it mattered most. The big man let his game do the talking upon his return from a one-game absence, as he recorded 31 points (on 12-of-22 shooting), a three-pointer, 16 boards, seven assists, two steals, and a playoff career-high six blocks.
The Sixers would notch their third straight win (with back-to-back victories in Brooklyn's home floor) against the Nets after D'Angelo Russell and company stole Game 1. Philly would close out the series in the next game, ending the first-round matchup, 4-1.
2. at Milwaukee Bucks (Mar 17, 2019)
Perhaps Embiid's most memorable regular season game last year was against the league-leading, and eventual Eastern Conference runners-up, Milwaukee Bucks. This wasn't just any matchup as eventual MVP winner Giannis Antetokounmpo was at his absolute best, with the 24-year-old coming out with a career-high 52-point performance.
Embiid would not be outdone, and would respond fittingly, as he ended the Eastern Conference marquee matchup with 40 points (on 15-of-31 shooting), four treys, 15 rebounds, six assists, three steals, a block, and just one turnover, en route to a 130-125 victory for Philly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI2rx9c4zCY
1. vs. Toronto Raptors (May 2, 2019 – Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3)
It could be argued that Embiid's best playoff performance to date would have to be his Game 3 showing against the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season. The Sixers were coming into the series tied 1-1, and this was a very important game for the team. Embiid was pure clutch, as he recorded a playoffs career-high 33 points (on 9-of-18 from the field and 12-of-13 from the line), three three-pointers, 10 rebounds, three assists, and five blocks in just 28 minutes of play.
We all know how this series turned out, but at that point in time, this was definitely Embiid showing up when called upon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN5Qu93lvpc
Entering just his fourth season next term, we will surely have more than a few noteworthy performances from Embiid moving forward. He remains to be Philadelphia's cornerstone big man, and so long as he is able to stay healthy, Embiid should be able to lead his squad to championship contention year after year for the foreseeable future.
Follow Us
Subscribe