PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid continues to defy logic when it comes to what a big man should and should not be able to do with the basketball. He can score in so many ways that it’s mind-boggling to watch on a nightly basis.
In Sunday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, Embiid dropped 53 points on 20-for-32 shooting. He made everything look incredibly easy. He was knocking down tough jumpers. He was scoring in the low block. He was knocking down 3s. And he was driving to the basket, which is something a 7-footer shouldn’t be able to do efficiently.
The big fella was driving past Mason Plumlee, Nick Richards and even perimeter players such as Kelly Oubre Jr.
“It depends on how a defense is guarding me,” said Embiid. “Sometimes, they really pack the paint, and I have nowhere to go but to the pull-up jumper. It also depends on our spacing. If the spacing is right, I usually have driving lanes. If it’s not, there are so many other ways I can score.”
The jumper has always been in Embiid’s arsenal. He can take a few dribbles and pull up for an easy look. When a team packs the paint as the Hornets did, he can fall back on that jumper and have success.
“Hesi pull up or just one dribble pull up, that’s a shot we’ve been working on for a long time,” Embiid added. “I’m just glad to actually start to use it. I think it helps a lot, making those types of shots, especially when the paint is crowded.”
Embiid looks to continue his scoring rampage when the Sixers play host to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
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