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Joel Embiid is still not anywhere near 100 percent, and won't be for the remainder of the postseason. It didn't matter for the most part against the Brooklyn Nets, as the Philadelphia 76ers superstar's unmatched blend of size, athleticism, and skill simply proved too much for Kenny Atkinson's team on both sides of the ball. Against the Toronto Raptors, though, Embiid will face an entirely different type of challenge – one he struggled with throughout the regular season.
The Raptors' acquisition of Marc Gasol, whether they admit it or not, was made specifically with this potential matchup in mind. Serge Ibaka was enjoying one of the best seasons of his career and Jonas Valanciunas was flourishing off the bench, but neither had the combination of size and smarts to bother Embiid on the interior. But Gasol does, even six years removed from winning Defensive Player of the Year, as Embiid's stunningly poor numbers against the Memphis Grizzlies prior to the trade deadline suggest.
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Joel Embiid averaged 14.5 points and 5.0 turnovers on dreadful 28.6 percent shooting in two meeting with Memphis during the regular season. In the 108 possessions he was guarded by Gasol, he scored just 17 points, shot 6-of-18 from the field, had more turnovers than assists, and only made six free throws.
Needless to say, Philadelphia will need Embiid to play much better against Gasol in the second round if the team hopes to advance to the Conference Finals. This series is filled with intriguing one-on-one matchups, but none of them loom nearly as large to its outcome as the one between Embiid and Gasol in the middle.
