The Philadelphia 76ers were all smiles after their final preseason game, and there was only one reason for that: Joel Embiid.
Embiid had been the talk of the town because he was supposed to be back in shape, and the one time that they saw him in the preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets, he looked awful and washed up. Well, against the Boston Celtics, he reminded everyone why you should always 'Trust the Process.'
Embiid played 29 minutes and scored 27 points. At one point in the game he had a dunk that got his teammates and the arena out of their seats. He also got his shooting touch back and went 7 for 13 from the field and 2 for 7 from the three-point line. He had such a great night that his teammates complimented him and hoped to see more of that kind of energy.
Tyrese Maxey wants him to shoot more threes in hopes that it opens the lanes up for him and the rest of the team. Other teammates were very complimentary of Embiid and talked about how great it is to see him healthy.
LeBron James recalled how Embiid looked playing for Team USA and how much better he looks now.
“There were times he felt great and times he didn’t feel great," said James. “This summer it’s the most healthy he’s been in a long time; he’s been to all the practices, he’s been through everything.”
Seeing Joel Embiid back in full force is going to do wonders for this 76ers team that want to outscore everyone with speed and finesse. Now, Embiid may not have that speed, but what the seven-time All-Star does have is the footwork to get to his spot and make defenses pay for underestimating him. The drop in weight helps with that very thing and will be a plus as the season goes on.
There will come a time when Embiid will have to take over, and he will be able to do that and sustain it because he is in better shape. Now he could be a bit of a liability on defense because he moves so slow. That shouldn’t stop him from influencing jumpshots and the drives to the paint. The only issue will be rebounding. Embiid can’t get up like he used to, and so he’s going to need some help in the paint.
The good thing for Embiid is that it won’t be his primary objective on this team. He’s going to be the guy that slows down the pace and torches opponents with his size and scoring. He may be the first option on the team, and that could spell disaster for anyone who has to deal with him.
Having Embiid back at full strength bodes well for a team like the 76ers looking to dominate the East. If he can remain healthy, this team can be the cream of the crop and dethrone the New York Knicks.