The Sixers may be sitting in second place in the East at 10-3, but Joel Embiid isn’t treating the fast start like proof that everything is clicking.
“We got a long way to go,” Embiid said. “ Obviously, offensively and defensively, we’re not where we want to be.
But, you know, a pretty good start; I think it’s pretty exciting that we all feel like we’re not even close to doing what we should be doing. We just got to keep getting better.”
That message fits the way Philadelphia has looked early. The defense has been strong, but the offense entered Thursday’s game against the Raptors ranked just 24th.
Embiid’s own numbers have reflected the adjustment period in the team’s new-look attack. He’s averaging career lows in points per game at 17.9, field goal percentage at 37.4%, three-point percentage at 11.1%, and free-throw attempts per game at 7.3.
Kris Rhim of ESPN noted that Embiid had pushed back in the preseason against the idea that the Sixers’ talented starting group would need to sacrifice in order to succeed.
There’s also been a major jolt around the roster with LeBron James’ arrival in Philadelphia, and the impact has already been felt in the locker room. Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com wrote about how the team learned James was coming to town, and the younger players around him have been quick to talk about what it means to share a floor with someone of that stature.
“You want to raise your level,” Caleb Love said, “ because you are playing with one of the greats, and you want to stay sharp and you want to be on that same level as far as your work.”
Rookie Labaron Philon Jr. pointed to the everyday habits that come with being around an all-time great.
“ Picking up the things that they do and the things that they have in their routine and how they go about their day,” Philon said. “Learning from a distance is really a great thing, but asking questions for sure. I feel like just picking up the things they do during the day and [I] can carry that on for my future career.”
Tacko Fall, meanwhile, has become a crowd favorite, though he says the reaction from the home fans comes with a strange side to it. Aaronson wrote that the “we want Tacko” chants have made him feel appreciated, but also boxed in.
“ I appreciate it - a lot. Obviously, I think it’s all love.
People want to see me play. Obviously, I haven’t really played in a very - they haven’t seen me play in a long time,” Fall said.
“There’s a level of excitement that comes with that. But the flip side of that is… it looks more like a foster kid, Make-A-Wish kid, just gets a couple minutes at the end.
Which, I’m more than that. Especially now.
I’m just a pretty good basketball player. So that’s the conflicting [part].”
The bigger picture got a dose of reality this week when the Sixers’ highly anticipated matchup against Jaylen Brown’s former team turned into a lopsided Celtics win. Jay King and Tony Jones of The Athletic wrote that the result made clear how much work Philadelphia still has ahead.
Even so, the reaction inside the team has stayed measured. Gina Mizell of the Philly Inquirer reported that the Sixers aren’t spiraling over one rough night, with Dean Wade saying, “ We’re still learning each other and learning how to play with each other,” Dean Wade said.
“ It’s going to take games like this, and some bad stretches, to mold us a little better and get us a little tighter. So we’re growing, and there’s growing pains.”
In Other News...
Sixers Just Lost Another Possible Answer Behind Embiid
The Sixers search for frontcourt stability has become a familiar subplot, and it only got a little more complicated with Dwight Powell now settling in with Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague after the Mavericks moved on from him. Philadelphia has been working through a shortage of dependable backup centers, a problem made worse by injuries and a thin free-agent market that has not offered many clean solutions behind Joel Embiid.
Powell was the kind of veteran stopgap the Sixers could have used as they try to survive the long stretch of the season without overtaxing Embiid. Instead, they will likely have to keep looking for another body and another layer of insurance at center, because the current options do not offer much security if the rotation gets tested again. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Overcame One Scary Joel Embiid Moment In Much Needed Win
The 76ers needed a steady night at home, and they got one after shaking off an early first-quarter deficit to beat the Raptors 123-112. Tyrese Maxey kept the offense moving with 27 points and eight assists, while Joel Embiid still managed 20 points even after a brief knee scare that had the building holding its breath for a moment.
For a team that has already had to navigate absences, the win carried extra value as Philadelphia improved to 10-3 and kept itself on track in the Eastern Conference race. The Sixers also did it with a shortened rotation, while Toronto was missing key pieces of its own, making Embiids early scare feel like the kind of subplot that could have changed the entire feel of the night. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Got The Relief They Needed After Joel Embiid's Early Scare
Joel Embiid gave the 76ers an early scare against Toronto when he went down with a knee injury, a moment that briefly shifted the mood in a game Philadelphia was already trying to manage without LeBron James in the lineup. The Raptors were shorthanded themselves, missing Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes, but the bigger concern for the Sixers was whether their centerpiece would be able to continue after the opening jolt.
Embiid did return, and Philadelphia steadied itself enough to pull away for a 123-112 win after a sluggish start. Tyrese Maxey and Anfernee Simons helped spark the offense with key plays when the Sixers needed them most, turning what could have been a nervous night into a much-needed result. [Read more 🡒]