Can Joel Embiid Still Save the Sixers’ Season?

In the event you’re the Philadelphia 76ers, Monday night time’s Sport 2 collapse yielded devastating information, but in addition one fairly good motive to really feel cautiously optimistic about the remainder of the first-round collection in opposition to the New York Knicks. Let’s begin with the dangerous first.

Up 5 with 27 seconds to go, Philly gave up a nook 3 to Jalen Brunson after which, as a substitute of calling timeout to advance the ball, turned it over in chaotic vogue as Madison Sq. Backyard bodily shook.

“The very first thing is clearly they rating, we check out getting it in fast,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse stated after the sport. “We don’t get it in fast. I name timeout. Referee regarded proper at me. Ignored me.” Earlier than talking with the media, Nurse watched a replay of the possession and reiterated that an official “may see me clearly calling timeout twice.”

Alas, no timeout was granted. 5 seconds later, the sky fell. Donte DiVincenzo missed a wide-open 3. Isaiah Hartenstein flew in for the offensive rebound after which shoveled it over to OG Anunoby, who discovered DiVincenzo once more, this time for a go-ahead, finally game-winning jumper that triggered pandemonium among the many delirious crowd, which instantly discovered itself dwelling by means of a basketball fantasy.

It was the kind of ending—outlined by avoidable errors and gut-turning controversy—that may successfully finish a group’s season. Perhaps it’s going to. The Sixers are actually down 0-2 in opposition to a tough-as-nails 2-seed that has but to profit from Brunson trying just like the MVP candidate he’s been all 12 months.

Philadelphia isn’t a typical no. 7 seed, although, which brings us to that fairly good motive for it to really feel cautiously optimistic about the remainder of this collection. His title is Joel Embiid. And in Sport 2, regardless of not trying or transferring like he does when 100% wholesome, Embiid was nonetheless the life jacket Philly will want if it needs to tug by means of this collection.

Embiid can’t routinely bully Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson on the block, demand double-teams, then choose rotating defenses aside like he does when he has full belief in each knees. After lacking almost the ultimate two months of the common season, his burst and stamina nonetheless aren’t near the place they’re at his peak. However the model of Embiid that was on show in Sport 2 was nonetheless just about a best-case situation. Two days after he crashed to Madison Sq. Backyard’s ground with troubled eyes that communicated basketball tragedy, Embiid did this:

He completed with 34 factors, 10 rebounds, six assists, and a monstrous 40.4 p.c utilization price that included solely two turnovers. “I believed he was wonderful,” Nurse stated in regards to the 2022-23 MVP after the sport. “Actually, actually excellent.”

Watching Embiid on Monday night time, I used to be reminded of one thing Minnesota Timberwolves coloration commentator Jim Petersen stated on air throughout a random regular-season recreation earlier this 12 months. To paraphrase: Embiid can rating 30 with out actually attempting. On this context, what it means is that even with none athleticism or power, this 7-footer nonetheless has sufficient talent and flexibility to utterly dominate a recreation. It’s a praise to his expertise and agility, the way in which he units a display screen after which moseys right down to the nail, retrieves a pocket go, and calmly drills an unblockable jumper. He shot 7-for-10 from the midrange in Sport 2 and mixed with Tyrese Maxey (who had a game-high 35 factors and 10 assists) to execute a pick-and-roll that New York had no reply for. The Knicks tried nearly every part, together with aggressive, preemptive assist from the weak aspect that led to a special sort of ache:

In 39 minutes, Embiid wasn’t significantly environment friendly—a 49.6 true taking pictures proportion isn’t any bueno—however he was unstoppable for vital stretches. Philadelphia outscored New York by three factors with him on the courtroom. Within the collection, the Sixers’ offensive ranking when Embiid sits is (one way or the other) 61.5.

On protection, he was a steely bouncer, clipboard in hand. Solely 25 p.c of all of the Knicks’ photographs got here on the rim, and simply 52.6 p.c went in. That’s all Embiid, who spent all the recreation both lounging in a deep drop or anchoring Philadelphia’s zone.

That protection generally is a double-edged sword, in fact. And when Embiid is cell sufficient to hassle shooters on the perimeter and dance in several schemes, Philadelphia’s protection is clearly much less susceptible in opposition to actual pull-up threats:

However a lot of the Knicks’ jumpers had been contained in the arc, seems the Sixers are OK with, understanding Nicolas Batum or Kelly Oubre Jr. is speeding in with a rear contest. Total, Embiid’s presence was a transparent optimistic on that finish, instrumental to Philadelphia’s success.

The Sixers did greater than have Embiid set screens and roll towards the free throw line, too. They discovered some success having Kyle Lowry set a flex display screen for him out within the nook, an motion that finally arrange this gem:

“He did an important job tonight of simply being aggressive, being bodily on the market, being dominant like he’s,” Tobias Harris stated of Embiid. “We stay up for that for the subsequent recreation.”

It’s removed from controversial to consider that Philadelphia can come again and win this collection if Embiid is who he was in Sport 2. That participant saved possessions that had been going nowhere, delivering repeatedly because the hub of an offense that left some meat on the bone. Usually talking, 0-2 deficits are daunting however hardly insurmountable in at the moment’s league for a wide range of causes, together with 3-point variance and the narrowing expertise hole between larger and decrease seeds. Groups down 0-2 have come again six occasions prior to now three postseasons. If the Sixers are eradicated in 4 or 5 video games, it’d be a tremendously disappointing finish for a group that employs top-of-the-line gamers alive, in the midst of his prime. Given the circumstances, it additionally shouldn’t essentially be time to panic.

“We must be 2 and 0,” Embiid stated at his locker. “So, we’re good. We’re gonna win this collection. We’re gonna win this. We all know what we’ve acquired to repair. We did a greater job at the moment. So, we’re gonna repair it. However we’re the higher group. And we’re gonna preserve combating.”

Philadelphia has just a few gamers beneath contract for subsequent season and sufficient monetary flexibility to retool round Embiid and Maxey with (hopefully) a superior supporting forged. That’s one other story for an additional day, although. Within the right here and now, regardless of Sport 2’s disappointing loss, the Sixers are nonetheless a menace as a result of their finest participant nonetheless seems like somebody who can put a group on his again and carry it to the end line.