Many have questioned the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons' ability to play together. However, the two Sixers stars proved that they can work just fine with a sweet alley-oop connection in their game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
Embiid came off of a pin-down screen from guard JJ Redick which gave the Cameroonian a free lane to the basket. Simmons then gave a picture-perfect lob right on the money for the thunderous Embiid throwdown.
.@BenSimmons25 👀@JoelEmbiid 🔨@StateFarm | #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/AnH2Dhqc4T
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 7, 2019
Embiid works best when he is bullying his way on the post. Without a doubt, the former Kansas standout has become one of the most dominant forces down on the block.
But the spacing that the Sixers' offense generates — mainly due to Simmons' lack of outside shot — has forced the 7-foot-1 center to play from the outside as well.
Embiid has expressed displeasure in shooting threes. He is averaging a career-high 4.1 attempts this season, making just 30 percent. But it seems like he has no choice given Simmons' inability to fire from the outside. Nevertheless, the two are still working towards developing their chemistry together on the court.
Embiid, Simmons, and the Sixers made light work of the Bulls, cruising to an easy 116-96 win on the road. Embiid finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in 28 minutes, while Simmons contributed 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists in just 26 minutes of action.
The win gave the Sixers their 50th win of the season. Philadelphia, which has locked up the no. 3 seed in the East, is looking to make a deep push in the post-season with their star quartet of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and Tobias Harris leading the way.
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