Tag: Joel Embiid

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]

Sixers fall to Thunder in overtime 127-119, road losing streak now at 5

The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road in overtime.

The Philadelphia 76ers went into Oklahoma City looking to put a stop to their recent road woes as well as their shooting woes, but they could only figure out a way to put an end to those woes to bed.

The Sixers did knock down 14 of their 32 attempts from deep, but it was not enough as they fell to the Thunder in overtime 127-119. Philadelphia has now lost five straight road games and they have dropped five of their past seven overall.

Joel Embiid returned from his rest day and had 31 points and 12 rebounds to lead the team, Josh Richardson had 28 points in his return to his home state of Oklahoma, and Tobias Harris had 21 points while knocking down three shots from deep as he broke out of his severe slump.

Ben Simmons had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in another solid all-around game for the All-star, but he only took eight shots and that is a cause for concern. Simmons should be much more aggressive in attacking the basket. Philadelphia now will head to Cleveland on Sunday to finish up the road trip where they will really need a win to get back on track. [lawrence-related id=19331,19324,19315]

Three key stats that stand out in early part of season for Sixers

There are three key stats that have stood out with the Philadelphia 76ers in the early part of the season.

The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a 7-4 start despite not having much cohesion for being a brand new team. So why does it seem like the sky is falling?

There are three key numbers that stand out here in the early going of the season and it’s a reason why the team, despite their record, does not look as dominant as some people had expected.

20.4%

That is Tobias Harris’ 3-point percentage. He had a ton of expectations coming into the season. The team re-signed him to a lucrative contract with hopes that he would provide the wing scoring and the shooting the team so desperately needs. However, it just has not been there and it’s been an absolute struggle for him, especially in Philadelphia’s last two games where he shot a combined 0-for-14 from deep. Coach Brett Brown did reveal that he’s sick, but it does not really excuse the poor shooting.

The Sixers need Harris to get it going. His play is something that Brown has singled out on multiple occasions for them to truly succeed on the offensive end. What’s even worse, he’s shooting 23.7% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers through the first 11 games after shooting 38.2% on such shots in 2018-19 and shooting 40.7% in 2017-18.

0

That is the total number of 3-pointers Ben Simmons has taken in2019-20. It’s so hard to truly nitpick at a player as talented as Simmons is, but the fact that he has yet to take a 3-pointer after all of the hype in the summer is disappointing. Everybody saw those videos he put out in the offseason and everybody was expecting him to at least attempt some 3-pointers. The expectations grew in the preseason when he drilled a 3-pointer in their preseason opener.

Brown has stated on Simmons’ jumper in the past:

I will say, and maybe you don’t agree, but I’ll say it, this still isn’t ‘the thing.’ It’s hugely important, we understand that, especially in April, May and June and we have to set the stage, but where I see the world with him is I think he can be the best defensive player in the NBA.

The Sixers really need Simmons to breakthrough and at least attempt a jumper. It would go a long way in their success.

4

The projected starting lineup of Simmons, Josh Richardson, Harris, Al Horford, and Joel Embiid have played a grand total of four games together. Due to Embiid’s suspension and load management, Simmons’ injury, and a rest day for Horford, the Sixers have not had much time to really play their big starting lineup together. It’s hard to get a real assessment of this team after just 11 games and they’ve had a full starting lineup for only four of those games. There needs to be more shown from this team before a panic button needs to be pushed. [lawrence-related id=19270,19262,19254]

Sixers big man Joel Embiid to miss Wednesday’s matchup with Magic

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid will miss Wednesday’s game with the Orlando Magic on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to win three games in a row on Wednesday, following a three-game losing streak, as they head into Orlando to face Markelle Fultz and the Magic. They will have to battle on Wednesday without one of their leaders and their best player.

The Sixers will be without superstar Joel Embiid on Wednesday in Orlando due to a scheduled rest day. The big man did have 27 points and 16 rebounds while throwing down the go-ahead dunk late to help Philadelphia knock off the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-97 on Tuesday, but with Wednesday being the second night of a back-to-back, the Sixers will rest him due to his load management plan.

The Sixers did not have Al Horford on Tuesday in the first night of the back-to-back and he is expected to return on Wednesday. This is what to expect with Embiid throughout the season. This is nothing new and it will be expected throughout the season. They want to deliver the best version of Embiid to the playoffs in April.

In other injury news, Trey Burke is listed as questionable after missing Tuesday’s game and the team will send Jonah Bolden down to the G League to join the Delaware Blue Coats.

The Sixers and the Magic tip-off at 7:00 p.m. EST from the Amway Center in Orlando. [lawrence-related id=19150,19207,19200]

Sixers vs. Magic Preview: Sixers look to make it three wins in a row

The Philadelphia 76ers start a three-game road trip with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

The Philadelphia 76ers have answered their three-game losing streak with back-to-back wins at home and now will head back out on the road on Wednesday. The Sixers were able to squeak out a 98-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night despite a poor shooting night and they will look to keep the momentum going on the road.

The Orlando Magic have had an underwhelming start to the season; they are off to a 3-7 start after making a playoff appearance in the 2018-19 season. Coach Steve Clifford has made the change to put former Sixers No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz into the starting lineup. It will be Fultz’s first regular-season matchup with his old team after a preseason game in October.

It’s now time to break down the Sixers and the Magic with a game preview that includes the works:

How to watch Sixers vs. Magic

  • Date: Wednesday, November 13
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Location: Amway Center Orlando, FL
  • TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury report

  • Sixers: NOT YET SUBMITTED
  • Magic: NONE

Storylines

Shooting woes

The biggest fear surrounding the Sixers has come to life. They had a rough night shooting the ball on Tuesday, going 8-for-38 from 3-point range. But they showed resilience, not only in winning the game but that they can win in other ways when shooting is cold, with Josh Richardson explaining:

I mean, we play hard. That’s all you can really say about it. Guys were showing a lot of toughness down the stretch even when things weren’t falling for us. It’s going to be plenty of nights like that. Like this is not going to be the last night where we have a tough night shooting, so you’ve just got to learn how to fight through it.

Tough Tobias

Tobias Harris had the worst shooting night of everybody — going a dreadful 0-for-11 from deep on Tuesday. Coach Brett Brown revealed that he was playing with a stomach virus that limited his energy and focus.

Despite all of that, Harris made some big plays down the stretch to help Philadelphia to a win. It earned him the praise of his teammates, with Richardson stating:

Tobias is a tough guy. He’s hard to shake. He’s hard to fluster and he was vocal the whole game and he kept shooting. I commend him for that. I was telling him to stay aggressive and to shoot his shots so I’m proud of him for fighting through that.

Prediction

The Magic have had a rough go of it, but they are a talented bunch. All-Star Nikola Vucevic has given Joel Embiid some issues in the past and Evan Fournier is always a threat to get hot from deep. Jonathan Isaac is one of the serious up-and-coming players in the league and Aaron Gordon is versatile. It will take a lot from the Sixers, who will get a boost with the return of Al Horford, to come back on the second night of a back-to-back and get a win. It will be a nice test for them.

Pick:Sixers win in another close game.

Sixers vs. Magic season series

Game 1 (Nov. 13):

Game 2 (Dec. 27):

Game 3 (April 5): 

[lawrence-related id=19200,19189,19164]

Joel Embiid says Sixers are ‘nowhere close’ to their potential offensively

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid believes the Sixers haven’t reached their potential on offense just yet.

It was not pretty at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night. The Philadelphia 76ers put up a ton of bricks on their way to an 8-for-38 shooting night from deep, including a combined 1-for-19 from Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson, but yet the Sixers came out on top 98-97 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Sixers are still trying to find their way and learn each other as they were without veteran Al Horford who was out for a scheduled rest day. The lack of playing time together continues to lead to a lack of cohesion, but according to Joel Embiid, there’s light at the end of the tunnel:

Pretty new team. The starting lineup is pretty new if you ask me. Tobias got here last year, late, so it’s basically been me and Ben(Simmons) in the starting lineup. So we’re still figuring out how to play with each other and I don’t think we’re nowhere close to our potential offensively.

He’s absolutely right in that statement. Despite Harris’ shooting struggles, it is hard to continue seeing him shoot at such a low rate and the same goes for Richardson. Having Horford back in the lineup always helps and Furkan Korkmaz has continued to play well. There is the offensive potential here to do big things. They just need to put it all together.

Now on the defensive end, they held Cleveland to their own struggles from deep as they shot 5-for-21 from beyond the arc and they were held to 97 points. Until the offense can figure it out, they will have to rely on the defense as Embiid added:

Defensively, I thought the last couple games have been fine defensively. Offensively, we just got to, you know, that starts with me. I haven’t been efficient. I’ve been turning the ball over so I’ve got to go back to being efficient and taking care of the ball again.

This team has only played 10 games and they’re sitting at 7-3. When stepping back and seeing that and taking into consideration that they have been missing pieces of the lineup for most of those games, it’s tough to get a really good assessment of how good this team can be.

Richardson has preached patience in the past. That is one thing that the fans of Philadelphia have a tough time with. [lawrence-related id=19181,19170,19164]

Multiple Sixers have high praise for Tobias Harris’ toughness vs. Cavs

Multiple Philadelphia 76ers praise Tobias Harris for his toughness in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was not easy for Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris on Tuesday night. He shot a ridiculous 4-for-17 and an awful 0-for-11 from deep and he heard the boos from the Philadelphia faithful. Yet, he made some big plays down the stretch to help the Sixers rally for a 98-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

What those fans did not know is that Harris was playing through a stomach virus and coach Brett Brown did not know that he was going to play until just about three hours before tip-off. It was an off night for Harris, but his play down the stretch was clutch for Philadelphia.

Joel Embiid, who led the way with 27 points and 16 rebounds had praise for Harris.

It says a lot. He’s going to battle through stuff. Like I said, shots are going to fall and they’re not sometimes. When it matters, he showed up.

Richardson, who also had a tough night shooting it as he shot 1-for-8 from distance, also had some big words for Harris’ toughness:

Tobias is a tough guy. He’s hard to shake. He’s hard to fluster and he was vocal the whole game and he kept shooting. I commend him for that. I was telling him to stay aggressive and to shoot his shots so I’m proud of him for fighting through that.

At the end of the day, the Sixers will need Harris to shoot the ball much better going forward. They aren’t paying him $180 million to go 0-for-11 from deep, sick or not. He came into the night shooting 28.6% from deep and that will surely go down after this performance.

Philadelphia will now head south to Orlando to face the Magic to start a three-game road trip. [lawrence-related id=19170,19121,19093]

Sixers escape with 98-97 win over Cavaliers

It was ugly but the Sixers gutted out a hard-fought win over the Cavaliers Tuesday night.

The Philadelphia 76ers got a scare from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night but were able to escape with a one-point victory.

Despite struggles shooting the ball, the Sixers managed to build a six-point halftime lead. The Cavs were able to chip two points off the margin during the third quarter and then started the fourth with a 9-0 run to take a five-point lead and prompt some boos from the home crowd.

The teams traded blows through the middle part of the quarter after the Sixers halted the run. A Collin Sexton basket with 3:34 left in the game pushed the Cavs’ lead back to five and there was uneasy energy flowing from the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

However, that would be the last points of the night for Cleveland, as the Sixers ended the game on a 6-0 run that was capped by a Joel Embiid dunk with 13 seconds left that put the Sixers in front. Philadelphia was able to dodge a bullet on an open look from Kevin Love and the clock ran out as the teams battled for the ensuing loose ball. You could almost hear the exhale coming out of Philadelphia.

Joel Embiid led the way and was the only really bright spot for the Sixers. He finished with 27 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

Josh Richardson struggled mightily from deep, as did most of the Sixers, but he chipped in 17 points and five assists and did a good job knocking loose the rebound of Love’s final shot.

Ben Simmons returned from his shoulder injury to contribute 15 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

Furkan Korkmaz slotted into the starting lineup in place of the resting Al Horford and had 10 points and four rebounds.

Tobias Harris shot a ghastly 0-11 from beyond the arc and was limited to just eight points. However, he added five rebounds and four assists and was involved in each of the three baskets on the Sixers’ 6-0 game-closing run. It was good to see him stay involved mentally despite the shooting struggles. Head coach Brett Brown mentioned after the game that Harris has been under the weather, so credit to him for toughing it out and making plays down the stretch.

Mike Scott provided nine points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Matisse Thybulle returned to the rotation and added three points on 1-1 shooting, three blocks, two steals, two rebounds, and an assist.

It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. It was good to see the Sixers put the clamps on defensively down the stretch when they really needed to and to watch them battle through a rough offensive night and gut out a win. In addition, the design and execution of the play that got the go-ahead bucket was excellent.

The team is now 7-3 on the season and a perfect 4-0 at Wells Fargo Center. It’s a quick turnaround for the Sixers, who get their first back-to-back of the season when they take on the Magic tomorrow in Orlando.