The Philadelphia 76ers have always been a talented team in recent seasons. They have two of the brightest stars in the game in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid who each bring a very unique skill set to the floor.
However, there have always been questions about whether they can win together. There has always been a school of thought that they can’t play together and the chemistry is always off.
To begin the 2020-21 season, there seems to be more synergy between them. They are talking much more and they are morphing into becoming some real leaders for their team.
“Not that the previous year we haven’t been on the court very close, but this year has just been different,” beamed Embiid. “I can’t even explain it. He’s just been different. I love playing with him and I’m sure he loves playing with me too. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just been fun having someone like that.”
The Sixers offense has been running through Embiid to begin the season, and for good reason, but he also understands that he does not have to do that for this team. He does not have to be the playmaker or anything like that. That’s what he has Simmons for.
“I can be a playmaker but I don’t need to be a playmaker because I got it,” the big fella said with a smile. “My job is to play defense and score the ball, and make plays when they double and triple-team me, and then his job is to be huge on defense and also make plays offensively for our guys. He’s been amazing this year.”
There is also more talking off the floor which translates to more success on the court. They both see the game from a different viewpoint and they are talking with each other more off the floor than they did in the past.
“The other day, he texted me and said ‘I’m missing you so many times on your duck-ins’,” said Simmons. “Little things like that, it continues to help the team chemistry grow and guys are willing to make plays even if guys don’t make the right pass or miss something, guys want to make the right plays and things like that so our relationship is continuing to grow.”
For Philadelphia to grow into the title contender that they believe they can be, they will need Embiid and Simmons to be the ones to lead the way. It won’t matter what the other guys on the floor do if the stars are not playing at their best.
“We both see different things so now for me and Jo, I think the relationship continues to grow,” added Simmons. “We talk a lot more now in terms of being on the floor and certain things we say. Knowing where he wants the ball, all the sets, and just flying, getting into the flow of the game, and just trying to read it the right way.”
The Sixers will look to continue to grow on Saturday when they hit the road to face the Detroit Pistons.
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