PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid is one of a kind. Standing at 7 feet tall, there isn’t a lot he can’t do. He can score on the low block, from the mid-range and from deep. He gets to the free-throw line because opponents can’t stop him.
He is averaging 33.1 points on the season, which is second in the league behind Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic (33.3 ppg). Embiid is one amazing big man who shows off his game in a variety of ways.
In Wednesday’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 29 points and he crossed the 10,000-point threshold for his career. He became the fastest player in Sixers history to do so (373 games).
Coach Doc Rivers was left feeling so impressed with his star big man after the win, and he gave his thoughts on what he thought of Embiid now compared to before he came to Philadelphia.
“He’s way better,” Rivers said. “I know I’ve said that I came here because of him and, at the time Ben (Simmons), and I thought he was really good. I had no idea. Being in the West, we only saw him twice. He’s so much better in almost everything than even I thought and he’s so much smarter, too.”
In terms of his basketball IQ, Embiid sees things. He steps up and knocks down big shots and attacks double teams correctly. He does an excellent job of making the right pass, which leads to easy shots for his teammates.
That’s not necessarily something he was very good at early in his career.
“That’s what you don’t know when you don’t coach a guy — like his brain,” Rivers continued. “He’s powerful, he’s quick (and) he can be deliberate. He literally can shoot; he literally can do every single thing. He’s just an impressive guy and what’s great about him is every year, he adds stuff. He’s still working. He’s not satisfied.”
Embiid and the Sixers are using the All-Star break to relax and prepare for an important stretch run before the playoffs begin in April.
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