Sixers acknowledge different play styles with Al Horford, Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers acknowledge there are two different play styles with Al Horford and Joel Embiid.

The Philadelphia 76ers are still continuing trying to grow as a team while also navigating through a tough part of their schedule. One of the aspects on their team is trying to work out the pairing of Al Horford and Joel Embiid down low as it is one of the more important pairings on the team.

Horford said he’d give the pairing a “B-” so far in terms of what the duo has been able to figure out on the floor. The Sixers do acknowledge that there are different styles when one is on the floor without the other and that is where the Sixers can use it to their advantage.

“I think that there is still, to me, two styles of play,” said coach Brett Brown. “There is ‘How do you want to play with Joel Embiid?’ and there is a clear identity that we’re trying to grow. Then it’s ‘Here comes Al Horford’ and there is a different type of team. There’s a different type of track meet going on and they’re both different.”

With Embiid in the game without Horford, the Sixers are more of a slow it down and play in the half-court type of team. With Horford sliding over to the center spot, the Sixers see it as an opportunity to play up-tempo a bit and play faster.

“Coach has been emphasizing that,” said Horford. “He wants us to play faster when Joel’s off and I think that’s the strength of our team to kind of keep the defense on their toes. We can go bully ball, we can execute in the half-court and we have another group where we can get out and run and create chaos that way. I think it’s the strength of our group to be able to do both.”

It is for that time of the game when Embiid and Horford are on the floor together where they are still trying to figure things out. Brown has mentioned in the past that it will take until Christmas to fully find a groove offensively.

“There are periods of the game, the start, the finish, and so on, where they collide, Joel and Al collide and that’s that area that we’re trying to figure out a little bit,” Brown added. “I think that, to their credit, they communicate well. There’s a mutual respect. Watching these guys grow as teammates, I love it.”

The Sixers will continue their growth on Thursday when they hit the road to face the Washington Wizards. [lawrence-related id=20507,20499,20486]