Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid probably has the most to prove of any All-Star in the Orlando bubble.
It’s not about the lack of rings, but more so the absence of a long playoff run. In two playoff appearances, Embiid has not gone past the second round. Still, he is recognized by many as one of the best at his position.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey and Dan Favale released their top 15 centers Friday, and Embiid slotted in at No. 2, right behind Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. The debate between Embiid and Jokic isn’t new, with Jokic being more dynamic on offense and Embiid being a better defender.
Joel Embiid had his best game of the season yesterday.
38 points (including 16 in the 4th quarter), 13 rebounds, 6 assists (2 turnovers), 1 block.
He scored effectively all over the floor, and his passing/handling of double teams was great. Some highlights: pic.twitter.com/7ZuBCghGpX
— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) December 13, 2019
This season, Embiid has continued to dominate in the low post. At the beginning of the video above, he squared up to the basket well and created space to score against Boston Celtics big man Daniel Theis. According to NBA.com stats, Embiid has led the league in points on post-ups (7.4) this season.
Along with his low-post dominance, Embiid has maintained his reputation for being a good interior defender. He has posted a defensive rating of 101.4 this season, and he has averaged 1.3 blocks a game.
As a playmaking center, Jokic is the better passer. Both players can score at about the same level, and neither is significantly better than the other at rebounding.
With Embiid and Jokic being the focal points of their respective offenses, it comes down to personal preference in choosing who is better.
Jokic is the hub, but the Nuggets are nearly a by-committee offense, with Will Barton, Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, Jerami Grant and Gary Harris all being viable scoring options.
Lionel Messi had some great highlights today, but Nikola Jokic had the nutmeg. pic.twitter.com/ffwX0YLRQE
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) May 2, 2019
The Sixers’ offense isn’t as efficient because of their lack of quality spacing. It feeds more on Embiid’s success, and if Embiid doesn’t play well, the rest of the team generally falters.
The Sixers will play their first seeding game Aug. 1 against the Indiana Pacers, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. ET.
[lawrence-related id=34428,34417,34393,34374]