On off night, Embiid still dials up numbers
The proof that Joel Embiid is having a legendary season added another layer Sunday, unfortunate as it was for the Sixers.
After a 110-103 loss to the Raptors in their 2021 home of Tampa, Doc Rivers was pressed to explain why the Sixers’ MVP candidate had an ordinary night.
How ordinary?
He only went for 25 points and 17 rebounds.
“As he said walking off the floor, ‘I had 100 good looks tonight and the ball just wouldn’t go in,’” Rivers said. “There’s nights like that.”
After scoring a career-high 50 in the Sixers’ last game, a home victory over Chicago, a barrage of traps, double-teams and hard fouls from the Raptors forced Embiid into 6-for-20 shooting.
“I don’t think they did anything crazy,” Ben Simmons said. “Maybe they were a little more physical. I think he played well. He moved the ball. He rebounded well. And the more he is able to facilitate like that, he’s going to be incredible. He is such a great player already.”
Overall, the Sixers shot 33-for85.
“They made us play in the half court instead of getting out and running,” said Tobias Harris, who shot 6-for-17. “It was one of those games for me, and it was frustrating, because I hadn’t had one for a while. But it happens.”
Embiid has scored 25 or more points in 14 consecutive games.
“In the half court, they had two or three guys on me,” he said. “Overall, I stayed within myself and made a lot of passes out of it. We just didn’t make enough shots tonight.”
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Though on an unspecified minutes restriction, Shake Milton was back Sunday after missing five games with a sprained left ankle.
With Simmons returning after missing two games with what Rivers characterized as a stomach flu, that left the Sixers with a rare full staff.
“It’s nice to have,” Rivers said. “Throwing guys in is tough in some ways, but I’d rather have them than not, for sure.”
Milton clocked 29 minutes and nine points. Simmons started, played 39 minutes and scored 28 points.
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Quietly becoming a reliable foul shooter, Simmons was 10-for14 from the line. He has made 25 of his last 30 attempts.
“I love it,” Rivers said. “Sometimes it takes a little bit to do what we are trying to get you to do. And Ben is doing it. He’s
aggressive, getting to the basket, making plays, forcing double teams with his speed. And our goal before the year was to get to the foul line. Tonight he did that.”
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In the absence of Milton, Isaiah Joe had been receiving added playing time.
He found the opportunity valuable.
“No doubt,” the rookie said, after a morning shootaround. “Whenever I go out there, I feel the team and the coaching staff puts me in a position to do what I can do. When I get in, it’s all about winning. So I do whatever I can to help the team win. And we were able to accomplish that.”
The second-round pick from Arkansas has played in 18 of the 31 games. He brought a .368 three-point shooting percentage into the Raptors game.
“A lot of it is just learning on the fly,” he said. “I watch the veterans to pick up on what they do on and off the court, so that whenever it is my time, I’ll be ready.
“They have done a really good job of keeping me in tune, making sure I am up to speed with everything and making sure I am involved so when it is my time, I’ll be prepared.”
Joe played 12 minutes Sunday, most at the expense of struggling Furkan Korkmaz, who played two.
“It’s just a look,” Rivers said. “It’s always a fair competition. Right now, we’re going with Isaiah.”
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With neither Simmons nor Harris having gained traction in the fan and media voting for the starting AllStar Game teams, Rivers has begun a campaign for them to be chosen for the game by the coaches.
His plank: Winning should matter.
“I think there’s a lot of guys who are deserving to make the All-Star team,” said Rivers, who will coach Team Durant in the March 7 event. “But I think a team’s record has to be a factor. I think anybody can get numbers on a bad team. Somebody has to score. But I think it’s hard to play well on a good team. It’s much harder. I don’t think people give that enough thought.
“We ask players on championship teams to sacrifice shots, to pass the ball, to play defense and to just do so many other things that contribute to winning. That always affects your numbers. Your numbers aren’t going to be as good. But your team wins. And yet every time I hear the fans and the media, they are talking about guys on sub-.500 teams. And it blows me away. Tobias could get the same numbers anywhere, and big numbers, even if he was on a bad team. But what he is doing is playing winning basketball.
“I think him and Ben should get more credit for it.”
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His ability to impact a game at the defensive end hardly a secret, Matisse Thybulle has one other issue to address: The offensive end.
The second-year guard was scoreless in 16 minutes Sunday.
“That’s his next job, to be a two-way player,” Rivers said. “If he can become that, man, the sky is the limit for him.”
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Rivers was asked if any current Sixer reminds him of himself as a player.
“No one is that good,” he said. “What are you talking about?”
Warming to the subject, Rivers, who was a defensefirst guard, drew a comparison with Thybulle.
“I wasn’t as good defensively as Matisse,” he said. “I could score a little bit. But I really got into it at the defensive end.”