Tag: Joel Embiid

Knicks’ Marcus Morris on Joel Embiid: ‘He’s too big to be flopping’

New York Knicks forward Marcus Morris said Joel Embiid is too big to be flopping.

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The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks renewed their rivalry on Wednesday night as the two teams met at the Wells Fargo Center. While the two teams are headed in completely different directions, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any fireworks whenever these two teams meet.

That was the case on Wednesday as Sixers big man Joel Embiid and Knicks forward Marcus Morris Sr. got into it a bit in the second quarter. Embiid was getting in position for an offensive rebound when Morris pulled him down to the ground. The result was double technical fouls called on each player and Morris was called for a flagrant-1 foul before play resumed.

After it was over, Morris had a few words for Embiid:

He’s just too big to be flopping, just to be flopping and grabbing. I’m just not the one who’s going to take that so, he knows that. He knows what I’m about.

The Sixers and the Knicks will meet again on November 29 at Madison Square Garden. [lawrence-related id=19736,19725,19727]

Joel Embiid says he will play both games of back-to-back this weekend

Sixers’ big man Joel Embiid says he plans to play both games of this weekend’s back-to-back against the Spurs and Heat.

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Joel Embiid helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 109-104 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night with an impressive stat line of 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. As solid as his game was, it was something he said after the game that caught our attention.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Embiid indicated that he plans to play both ends of this weekend’s upcoming back-to-back. The Sixers are slated to host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and old friend Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Saturday. Typically, the Sixers have targeted back-to-backs for Embiid’s load management program, so it would certainly be noteworthy if he were to play in both games.

It makes sense that Embiid would want to play against his former teammate in Butler and the Heat are currently ahead of the Sixers in the standings.

However, the team is entering a busy stretch, with seven games in the next 12 days, including another back-to-back the following weekend, so it’s somewhat curious that the Sixers wouldn’t want to get Embiid some rest.

For now, it appears we’ll be seeing the big man in both games this weekend. Whether that is prudent or not is up for debate, but it’s encouraging that the team is confident enough in his health to allow him to do so.

 

Brett Brown, Joel Embiid praise Ben Simmons after Sixers win over Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of praise for Ben Simmons after a win over the New York Knicks.

The Philadelphia 76ers were searching for answers. They found themselves trailing the hapless New York Knicks by 17 at home in the third quarter and the boo birds were coming out. The team looked lifeless as they could not find any type of rhythm. Then, their All-Star leader at point guard woke up.

Ben Simmons led a big rally and helped the Sixers on both ends of the floor to end up knocking off the Knicks 109-104 to avoid what would have been a brutal loss. Simmons finished with 18 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds and his play really sparked the Sixers to this win and coach Brett Brown knows it.

Brown stated afterward:

He was the bell ringer. I thought Ben’s intensity, defensive intensity was as good as it’s been. I think that him in his leadership, sort of controlling the game, and giving him the freesom to make play calls after free throws as an example and him doing a great job of being smart and what that looked like. I thought that he was outstanding with his presence. I really thought he helped change the whole landscape. Especially in the second half.

Joel Embiid, who led the Sixers with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, has been a teammate with Simmons throughout their careers and he was happy with what he saw from his fellow All-Star teammate.

Embiid said:

His energy changed. Defensively, I think he caused one offensive foul and one turnover and from there, we just ran. James(Ennis) made like two threes and then Mike(Scott) came off the bench and knocked down some shots. We just kept running.That’s the whole thing, we’ve got to get stops and running and esepecially if teams are going to guard me the way they’ve been guarding me all season, doubling me the way they’ve been doubling me. I’ve just got to make the right play and just go from there.

The Sixers will continue this 3-game homestand on Friday when they welcome in the San Antonio Spurs. [lawrence-related id=19690,19684,19676]

How to Watch Philadelphia 76ers, NBA Live Stream, Knicks vs 76ers, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch the Philadelphia 76ers Live Online.

Trusting the process has finally paid off in Philadelphia. After a long rebuilding period, the 76ers are now legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. In 2018, the young Sixers emerged as a serious threat late in the season with a remarkable 16-game win streak to close out the season. While their playoff run was cut short due to a loss to the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors, there’s a ton of expectations and hope for 2019. 

Watch the Philadelphia 76ers 2019-20 Season

Tonight: vs. New York Knicks, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 7:00 p.m. ET 

Local TV affiliate for the season: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Streaming option for the season: fuboTV (watch for free)

So far, so good for the Sixers. All-Star center Joel Embiid has picked up right where he left off last season. He’s averaging 22.3 points per game, while also averaging 11.8 rebounds. Couple him with offseason acquisition Al Horford, who is putting up 15.9 points and 7.4 boards per game, and they have formed one of the most formidable frontcourt tandems in the league. 

Philly isn’t just strong in the paint. In fact, the team has five players averaging double-figures in points. The Sixers also have a very solid bench to pull from in case of injury or fatigue. It’s for these reasons that many believe they’ll challenge for the top spot in the East. It won’t be easy with the likes of Milwaukee and Boston again looking strong, but there’s a ton of optimism around this talented bunch. 

Sixers November 2019 Schedule 

Tue, Nov. 12 vs. Cleveland 7:00 PM 

Wed, Nov. 13 @ Orlando 7:00 PM

Fri, Nov. 15 @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM

Sun, Nov. 17 @ Cleveland 3:00 PM

Wed, Nov. 20 vs. New York 7:00 PM

Fri, Nov. 22 vs. San Antonio 8:00 PM

Sat, Nov. 23 vs. Miami 7:30 PM

Mon, Nov. 25 @ Toronto 7:30 PM

Wed, Nov. 27 vs. Sacramento 7:00 PM

Fri, Nov. 29 @ New York 7:30 PM

Sat, Nov. 30 vs. Indiana 7:00 PM

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Sixers vs. Knicks preview: Sixers look to continue home dominance

The Philadelphia 76ers return home to host the New York Knicks.

The Philadelphia 76ers return home from a 3-game road trip that saw them drop the first two games, but then salvage a win in the finale of the trip to come home with some momentum. Their opponent on Wednesday night should offer the Sixers another “get right” game for them to shake off the cobwebs a bit.

Wednesday’s opponent, the hapless New York Knicks, come in with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 4-10 and they have not been able to find any real groove or footing to begin the season. This is a good chance for the Sixers to really get some momentum going into the next phase of the season.

With that being said, it’s time for the preview with everything you have come to expect:

How to watch Sixers vs. Knicks

  • Date: Wednesday, November 20
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
  • TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury Report

  • Sixers: NONE
  • Knicks: OUT: Reggie Bullock(neck), Elfrid Payton(right hamstring strain) PROBABLE: RJ Barret(left thumb sprain)

Storylines

Brown working out Sixers offense

The Sixers offense has looked out of sorts to begin the early season as they begin to really figure out the best way to work this oddly constructed roster. Coach Brett Brown has an uphill battle to really figure everything out and it won’t be an easy mission to complete.

Brown stated:

I think that my problems of conern at the moment are offensively related. It’s how do you take this team and grow it to where it’s functional and purposeful and I think that I said, and now that I’m living in it I mean it even more, I think it’s going to take every bit until Christmas to get some type of rhythm beat to what we do. Along that path, we will never forget, led by me, that we are a defensive based program and everything unravels if we don’t do that.

Horford thinks the defense can be better

On the flip side of things, the Sixers are expected to be an elite defensive team and heading into Wednesday’s game, the Sixers are ranked 11th in the league in defensive rating. It is not a terrible ranking for a team so new and one trying to work out a lot of kinks, but not where the Sixers expect to be.

Al Horford believes the defense can get better as he stated:

I think our defense is good, but I think it can be a lot better. I do believe that the more games we play and the more comfortable we get, the better it will be.

The more these guys play together, the better things will get better for this team as a whole.

Prediction

The Knicks are just not a good team. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are good talents, but the roster as a whole is oddly constructed. Unlike the Sixers, the Knicks don’t have the talent to overcome the early awkwardness of the roster’s growing pains. Mitchell Robinson presents a challenge at the rim and he will give Joel Embiid a test down low, but the Sixers are the much more talented team and they should keep their record at home nice and clean.

Pick: Sixers by double-digits

Sixers vs. Knicks season series

Game 1 November 20:

Game 2 November 29:

Game 3 January 18:

Game 4 February 27:

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All 20 top 10 picks by the Philadelphia 76ers since 1969

Charles Barkley, Joel Embiid, Doug Collins, Ben Simmons are among the 20 players drafted in the top 10 by the Sixers in the last 50 years.

The Philadelphia 76ers have spent plenty of time around the bottom of the NBA standings. So much so that in the last 50 seasons, they have had 20 picks in the top 10 of the NBA Draft. Some players worked out while others fizzled.

1972: Freddie Boyd

NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images

Freddie Boyd was taken fifth overall out of Oregon State. He had the misfortune of playing on a team that went 9-73 in 1972-73. Boyd played three-plus seasons in Philly and averaged double digits once, going for 10.5 points per game as a rookie.

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Brett Brown says his concerns with Sixers are ‘offensively related’

Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown says his focus is on helping the Sixers on the offensive end right now.

When presented with a roster as oddly constructed as the Philadelphia 76ers are, it is going to be tough to find a flow and a rhythm offensively. The Sixers are currently bucking the recent trend of everybody playing small and they are rolling out big lineups led by Joel Embiid and Al Horford.

After a 1-2 road trip that saw the Sixers get destroyed in the fourth quarter to start the trip in a loss to the Orlando Magic and then saw the offense big down late in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, coach Brett Brown says the offense is most on his mind as the team returns home.

Brown stated at practice on Tuesday:

I think that the Oklahoma City game was the poorest defensive game that we played all year, but I think that my problems of conern at the moment are offensively related. It’s how do you take this team and grow it to where it’s functional and purposeful and I think that I said, and now that I’m living in it I mean it even more, I think it’s going to take every bit until Christmas to get some type of rhythm beat to what we do. Along that path, we will never forget, led by me, that we are a defensive based program and everything unravels if we don’t do that.

The Sixers are not today’s type of NBA team. They are rolling out two traditional bigs in Embiid and Horford, they have a 6-foot-10 point guard who refuses to shoot, and they have wing players in Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson who are not sharpshooters. This will not happen overnight, it might very well take until Christmas to figure it all out.

It has led to the team being ranked 18th in the league in offensive rating at 107.1 and ranked 19th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 34.1%.

Brown added:

It’s just confirmed that it’s an interesting team to put together with different skill sets and that’s my job. So, I leave the trip completely with that in the back of my mind.

The Sixers do return to the home floor on Wednesday as they host the New York Knicks from the Wells Fargo Center at 7:00 p.m. EST. [lawrence-related id=19548,19556,19539]

Joel Embiid on Ben Simmons: ‘We are going to need him to shoot’

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid says the Sixers will need Ben Simmons to shoot the ball for them to win games.

Much has been made about the Philadelphia 76ers and their lack of spacing. The No. 1 culprit of that problem has been point guard Ben Simmons who remains reluctant to take jump shots. The supremely talented three-year player from Australia worked hard on his jumper during offseason, but 13 games into the 2019-20 season, he has yet to take attempt one.

That hasn’t stopped the All-Star from averaging 13.7 points, 7.1 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in a display of his all-around game. Simmons has the respect from his peers, including Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, who gave him a lot of praise after the Sixers knocked off the Cavs on Sunday.

At the end of the day, the Sixers will need Simmons to come up with some type of jump shot if the team intends to take the next step in the Eastern Conference toward the NBA title they’re chasing.

Superstar Joel Embiid discussed this with the Inquirer.com’s Keith Pompey, stating:

But you know, that is him. He is comfortable playing certain ways. For us to win, we are going to need him to shoot. But you know, I am fine with him playing his game, not forcing anything.

“But hopefully, at some point, I am sure he is going to pick it up.

Embiid is absolutely right. As talented and as impressive as Simmons is, the Sixers really need him to start knocking down jump shots to help the spacing issue. He doesn’t need to be pulling up for 30-footers like he’s Stephen Curry or something. If he can provide some semblance of a midrange shot, it will go a long way in helping the Sixers offense move forward.

Coach Brett Brown has said in the past that Simmons’ defense should be the focus, and that may be so. But Brown also alluded to the fact that Simmons’ jumper has to be there when the playoffs come around in April and May.  [lawrence-related id=19474,19465,19457]

Joel Embiid believes he hasn’t done enough for Sixers, needs to do more

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid believes he needs to do more for the Sixers.

Despite earning a 114-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday that had to feel good considering their recent struggles, there is one certain big man for the Philadelphia 76ers who believes he needs to do more.

Joel Embiid, the unquestioned leader of the Sixers, is averaging a team-leading 22.9 points and 11.4 rebounds to begin the 2019-20 season, but he still has an empty feeling. Like he still needs to do more for the Sixers to take the next step.

Embiid told Inquirer.com’s Keith Pompey in his Off the Dribble newsletter:

“I need to do more,” Embiid responded. “I felt like I haven’t done enough. So that’s what I think I need to do.”

It’s hard to really fault Embiid for the team’s struggles, after all, he’s the one who carries such a heavy offensive burden every night. However, on the flip side, he can’t allow himself to get caught up in brawls and non-basketball related drama and get suspended like he did earlier in the season. That hurts the Sixers in the short term especially on the offensive end of the floor.

Philadelphia will return home on Wednesday after a disappointing 1-2 road trip and they hope to get back playing at the level that got them off to such a hot start. They will also look to remain undefeated at the Wells Fargo Center. [lawrence-related id=19450,19443,19435]