It's safe to say that Joel Embiid has been… different the past few seasons. The Philadelphia 76ers star has always had the potential to be a dominant force. However, Embiid hasn't been able to put it together consistently… until last season. Now, he's one of the most dominant stars in the league, with the ability to impact games at the drop of a hat.

So what changed for the Sixers star? Well, if you ask coach Doc Rivers, it's more about Joel Embiid's maturity and realizing the things he needs to do to be great. Rivers stated that Embiid has been doing more off-court stuff that is beneficial to both himself and the team as a whole. (via NBA)

“It started last year with his conditioning and understanding how serious you have to be…this year I think he came in in better shape, even doing more with his teammates and leading…he's still growing up right in front of our eyes”

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One of the knocks on Joel Embiid has been his conditioning. While the Sixers star wasn't exactly out-of-shape, he clearly wasn't prepared for a long playoff run. These past few seasons, though, show that Embiid now has what it takes to go all the way… barring unforeseen injuries, of course.

Embiid was a godsend for the Sixers in Game 3 against the Heat. While he didn't play up to his MVP potential, his presence alone changed the game so much on both sides of the ball. He's a big reason that they were able to cut the series deficit to 2-1, even if Embiid ONLY scored 18 points and 11 rebounds.