Joel Embiid’s empty calories performance means “The Process” fails Philadelphia 76ers twice over

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2020/08/joel-embiids-empty-calories-performance-means-the-process-fails-philadelphia-76ers-twice-over-john-karalis.html



Joel Embiid’s empty calories performance means “The Process” fails Philadelphia 76ers twice over




Updated Aug 23, 2020; Posted Aug 23, 2020




Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers grimaces after being fouled by the Boston Celtics during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)AP


By John Karalis | JKaralis@masslive.com



This shouldn’t have been a sweep.

The Boston Celtics were obviously the better team and they probably would have won this series no matter what the Sixers did.

But it shouldn’t have been a sweep. And the Philadelphia 76ers can blame Joel Embiid.

Embiid was Philadelphia’s one true advantage. He was the one aspect of the game for which Boston had no answer. Without Simmons, there was a true fear that Embiid’s presence down low could help free up space for shooters by forcing the Celtics to collapse on him. His gravity was supposed to raise the games of everyone around him.

Instead, Embiid gave Philadelphia empty calories. Big numbers that meant made him look good but did nothing more.

Embiid put up scoring nights of 26, 34, 30, and 30 points in the four losses to Boston. He put up double-digit rebounding numbers in the sweep as well. In 20 years when people go through his statistical performances, they’ll think “well, Embiid did his job” in this series.

But he didn’t. He came out hot and faded, because he never cared enough to get himself into the kind of necessary physical condition to close games strong.

He talked a big game about forcing the issue but when he faced the slightest resistance, he gladly took mid-range jumpers, even when Kemba Walker switched onto him.

Here’s a look at his heat chart from the regular season


Joel Embiid heat chart: regular season


He lived at the rim all year long. Against Boston and it’s undersized front line, Embiid should have done it again. Instead…


Joel Embiid heat chart: playoffs


Every jump shot Embiid took, even the ones that went in, were wins for Boston. They involved no hard work in the post to wear down Boston’s defenders. It took no double team to defend, thus opening shooting opportunities for the few guys with the ability to knock down shots on the Sixers roster. It didn’t pull over help defenders, allowing for the Sixers to use their biggest team advantage, offensive rebounding.


Boston’s defensive strategy was spectacular. They dug at the ball when he posted up and packed the paint when he posted. The Sixers never adjusted with how they played off Embiid in the post, and never got creative to show him more opportunities to pass. So it’s not completely on Embiid. The entire Sixers franchise, from top to bottom, is a mess.

But Embiid, in this series, was the biggest reason why the Sixers couldn’t make Boston really sweat. Because most of the times the Celtics made his life a little tough on the offensive end, he basically shrugged and said “ok, fine, I’ll just face up and shoot.”

Embiid had four assists in four games, and none in Game 4. Brett Brown endlessly touted his big man’s improved passing ability out of double teams heading into this series, but Embiid couldn’t manage to find more than four teammates for baskets.

And then, defensively, he had the audacity to question the Sixers defensive strategy.

“I know they want me to stay back on pick and rolls and protect the basket, but they’ve just been coming off making a lot of threes, so we gotta make adjustments,” he said between Games 2 and 3. “I’ve got to come up and we’ve got to scramble, but something has to change, it feels too easy. They’re just walking into those shots and it’s something we’ve got to fix.”

When Embiid came up, Boston roasted him. He had no chance at staying in front of Kemba Walker early.


Joel Embiid fouls Kemba Walker


Nor did he have any shot when he stood flat-footed against Jayson Tatum.

Dan Greenberg
@StoolGreenie
Joel Embiid has no shot
https://twitter.com/i/status/1297584635497586689

Was the Sixers drop coverage against the Celtics good? No. But Embiid’s inability to actually play the type of defense necessary against Boston was the reason why the Sixers were stuck playing it.

The fear of Embiid was the number one reason why Boston fans wanted nothing to do with the Sixers in the playoffs. He has the potential to be the league’s most dominant player, but he simply doesn’t want to do the things necessary to be that. The front office has done him no favors, but he hasn’t done himself any, either.

Embiid is talented enough to get his numbers. He’s going to put together a Hall of Fame career with some remarkable highlights. He can be dominant, but only when things are working in his favor.

He withers when things don’t go his way. He complains when he’s not the focal point. He lashes out when times are tough.

Joel Embiid is not a leader. At the time when the Sixers needed him most, he only gave them what was best for himself. And as Philadelphia’s season was swept away by the Celtics, it’s clear that two processes have failed the Sixers.


bob


.

Embiid has now cost the 76ers head coach his job.

There is no reason why an NBA player cannot be in shape, and Embiid has never been in playoff shape.

wideclyde wrote:Embiid has now cost the 76ers head coach his job.

There is no reason why an NBA player cannot be in shape, and Embiid has never been in playoff shape.

Clyde,

He has already cost his first GM, Sam Hinkie, his job and may very well cost his 2nd GM, Elton Brand, his job too.

I don't know how much blame belongs to Embiid.  

It's not his fault he wasn't surrounded by shooters.  It's not his fault that Ben Simmons can't throw the ball in the ocean if he's 4' from the edge of the pier.  He has been in the league 4 years now, 3 playing and 1 out with injury, and he has NEVER shot >42.2% from 3-10'.  Imagine that!  Push him 11' away from the basket (the frito line is 15') and his fg% is 28.5% CAREER.  We can't blame Simmons for the Sixers' early playoff exit but they faced us in the playoffs because they were the 6-seed and Ben Simmons' fg% from 3-10' this season was 36.5% and his fg% from 11-16' is 15.4%.  

In the playoffs Tobias Harris had an awful series, only showing something in the 2nd half of the close out game and that was mostly grit.

Paul Pierce couldn't carry the Celtics alone and neither can Embiid carry the Sixers alone.


bob


.

Embid is a casualty of an NBA league that has moved away from low post centers where he is most effective.

It would be difficult to put all the blame for the sweep on his back. Embid did not draft anyone or trade anyone or pass out max contracts to anyone. It was not his fault that they overpaid for Al Horford, a bad fit, who averaged 7 points or that the enabled Ben Simmons is injury prone. It is not his fault that Jayson Tatum wears the Green.

Scapegoating is an unreliable and unattractive art form. Does he deserve his FAIR share of blame for huffing and puffing down the stretch? Absolutely. But the sweep was orchestrated because Tatum, Walker and Brown averaged 72 points per game.

Guys,

We watch Embiid a lot down here in Delaware (like it or not) because they are the nearest team, and this guy is such a whiner to go along with his unprofessional approach to conditioning that he HAS become the negative leader that so many teams dread.

He wants the spotlight, and never seems to do much when in it. A very, very disappointed
player as a result, in my opinion, who should get most of the blame for the 76ers failures.

I am so glad to see your post Clyde. My opinion of Embid has always been that he was always getting his way with the referees and when he didn’t it affected his game. His wonderful first half stats do his team no good as he, for the most part, disappears in the second half. I wonder what would happen if he came to camp in great physical condition, ready to really play. He is hurt so much, has never played a full season yet in the time he has been in the league. Remember he missed his first season injured.
Everyone touts him as the best center in the league, maybe he has the ability to be that, but I just would not want to hitch my wagon to him and hope he could bring my team to the championship. Unless he grows up, he will always be following not leading

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I am so glad to see your post Clyde.  My opinion of Embid has always been that he was always getting his way with the referees and when he didn’t it affected his game. His wonderful first half stats do his team no good as he, for the most part, disappears in the second half.  I wonder what would happen if he came to camp in great physical condition, ready to really play. He is hurt so much, has never played a full season yet in the time he has been in the league. Remember he missed his first season injured.
Everyone touts him as the best center in the league, maybe he has the ability to be that, but I just would not want to hitch my wagon to him and hope he could bring my team  to the championship.  Unless he grows up, he will always be following not leading

He can’t get in that kind of shape because he is fragile and where other players can run and move like a gazelle, he needs load management in his workouts too because if he ran/trained as hard as say Jaylen, his joints would wear out/ache.

I agree that Embiid needs to get into much better shape IF he wants to be one of the best players in the NBA.

we all saw how he started most games this series and how he wore down quickly each game.

Brand stated yesterday after firing Brown (long over due) that Embiid and Simmons are not going anywhere. So there is that, for what its worth.

with Phillys' cap issues, they are kinda stuck with the team they have for the most part. So unless Brand is blowing smoke about trading one of his stars, they will be bringing in a vet NBA coach and hoping for the best next season.

perhaps a HC with NBA cred will push Embiid to get into shape and find a shooting coach for Simmons ?

I hope not though..>LOL