Dominant Embiid
Joel Embiid sounded confident in the aftermath of the Sixers’ win against the Rockets yesterday. Considering his disposition, it didn’t seem as if he had just emerged from yet another stint in sick bay. Perhaps it was because he had no trouble parading his usual dominant self after missing three games in which the red, white, and blue went a mere one and two. If there was any rust in him, it didn’t show in a 41-10-3-1-1 stat line that extended his streak of posting at least 30 points and 10 rebounds to a remarkable 17 outings.
Embiid was, of course, most glad because his superb showing resulted in victory for the Sixers. And given the way they have run the offense under first-year head coach Nick Nurse, it’s no coincidence that they’re 22 and six when he suits up. Which, in a nutshell, makes his addition to an exclusive list that hitherto counted only Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all the more significant. He has been otherworldly since he was drafted third overall in 2014, but he is arguably most impactful this season.
Certainly, Embiid’s contributions are even more pronounced now than when he was recognized as the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player last year. That his extraordinary exertions have come following the departure of James Harden is, perhaps, no coincidence. “Our need will be the real creator,” Plato once wrote, and it’s evident that necessity has compelled the brain trust to mold the Sixers’ playing style to best fit him and his supporting cast. The emergence of Tyrese Maxey and a wholehearted acceptance of slated roles by those around him have made them bona fide contenders for the hardware.
It’s anybody’s guess on whether Embiid can be fit enough to lead the Sixers to a deep postseason run. As things stand, seven games separate him from the minimum threshold of 65 set by the league for awards eligibility. He has, to be sure, argued that personal accolades are secondary to collective objectives. “It doesn’t matter how many games I play; the goal is to be healthy the rest of the year.” And if he is, all and sundry in the City of Brotherly Love have cause to cast moist eyes on the Larry O’Brien Trophy.