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Since returning to the lineup after being in health and safety protocols, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has put together a dominant stretch of performances. The All-Star center continues to do all he can to get the Sixers' season back on track.
In his latest showing, Embiid posted 36 points and 13 rebounds en route to a win over the Washington Wizards. Sunday marked the third time Embiid eclipsed the 30-point mark in his last 10 games.
This season, Embiid has put his entire skill set on display. No matter what the Sixers need, their superstar center has stepped up to the occasion. Whether it's protecting the rim at a high level or even bringing the ball down the floor himself, Embiid has been a do-it-all type of player.
Dating back to his time at Kansas, many viewed Embiid as a generational talent. After battling with injury in the early stages of his career, he is finally showing everyone why he was worth the wait. Very few big men have come along with the grace and footwork that Embiid has. On a nightly occasion, he pulls out a move that 7-footers shouldn't be able to do and does it with ease.
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Having coached Embiid for some time now, Doc Rivers is still amazed by what his starting center can do on the basketball court. He recently touched on this before the Sixers' matchup with the Hawks last week.
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“I'm just amazed with how big he is and how well he moves. Just how good he moves with the size and with the handle. He does guard things at 7 [feet tall]. So, it's pretty impressive,” said Rivers.
Typically, when a big man is known for moving well, it's equated with good moves around the rim. While that is the case for Embiid, it does not tell the whole story. As Rivers said, he has moves in his offensive arsenal that are meant for much smaller players.
The center position continues to evolve in this era of the NBA, and Embiid is the prime example of that. Take the Sixers' win over the Boston Celtics, for instance. Rivers put the ball in his star player's hands to seal the game, and he did just that by hitting a step-back jumper over two outstretched defenders. Most big men can't pull a move like that off, let alone with the game on the line.
Embiid's style and grace on the court are what make him such a fun player to watch. Between breaking players down off the dribble to pulling off Euro steps in the lane, you never know what you might see from him on a nightly basis.
At the end of last season, Embiid talked about wanting to add to his game. Even coming off a year in which he finished second in MVP voting, growth was still a primary goal. This mix of guard-like skills in a center's frame is a rarity in the NBA, and one has to wonder if we ever see a player like Embiid ever again.
