SUMMARY
- The Sixers haven't made it past the second round of the playoffs in seven year since Joel Embiid began playing consistently.
- The Knicks defeated the Sixers in Game 6 of round one.
Joel Embiid is certainly one of the best players to have ever played in the modern-day NBA. However, his dominance has only benefitted him more than his team. Most times, MVPs usually chase the championship after winning the individual accolade. We’ve seen LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or more recently, Nikola Jokic win an MVP and make a finals appearance immediately.
Unfortunately, despite being the MVP-caliber player that he is, Embiid has failed to bring success to the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. During the regular season, Embiid averaged nearly 36 points per game while leading the Sixers to an incredible record. But injuries affected his ability to play and the Sixers dropped down to the Play-In Tournament berths.
Luckily, he returned in time for the Play-In Tournament to lead them past the Miami Heat. But in the first round, there stood a major threat. The New York Knicks looked extremely dominant since trading for OG Anunoby and despite losing Julius Randle, they still produced winning numbers. As sad as it seems, here we are once again with the Sixers out of the first round.
The Sixers need to adjust their approach
Playing through injuries is certainly a task in itself, but averaging over 30 points per game is simply magnificent. The Sixers vs Knicks was a hard-fought battle. Embiid was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy ahead of the series which caused great discomfort, but he was also coming off an extremely short rehab following surgery for a torn meniscus. Joel still averaged 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Joel Embiid on Bell’s Palsy:
“Pretty annoying with the left side of my face, my mouth and my eye. It’s been tough but I’m not a quitter… It’s unfortunate… got to keep pushing.” pic.twitter.com/Iwqn1QczTd
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) April 26, 2024
There were a few moments that Embiid received a lot of hate for such as playing dirty against Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson. Embiid seemed fairly frustrated but resorting to dirty plays or flopping cannot be excused. All in all, Embiid had a fantastic run and there’s no reason to complain.
But for how long will the Sixers treat Embiid as their first option especially since they’ve failed to push past the second round in seven years since his emergence? The problem certainly isn’t the numerous changes in coaching staff going from Brett Brown, to Doc Rivers, and now Nick Nurse. Interestingly, all three of those coaches have won championships with other teams.
Philly is relying on Joel Embiid way too much at this point, and their gameplay has become quite predictable. It is high time the Sixers started treating Tyrese Maxey as their primary option as he averaged an impressive 32.4 points during the playoffs and 26.3 points per game without Embiid on the floor in the regular season. Philly also needs to open up the floor for other offensive threats like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tobias Harris while giving Buddy Hield a bigger role.
Fans are bound to grow frustrated over Joel Embiid despite his dominance
When it comes to fans, there are groups of individuals who will support the team despite the players’ shortcomings. However, there is a group of individuals who wouldn’t mind throwing out Joel Embiid just so they wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. Unfortunately, Ben Simmons was a victim of this before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
Simmons’ production on the floor was a major point of concern and most fans haven’t forgotten about his final playoff run with the team. Simmons had to go no matter what fans said. Philly chose to hold on to him and encourage him to play, while Simmons seemingly took offense to the outside noise. Players desperately need support no matter what the circumstance might be, and if fans decide to turn their backs on Joel Embiid, he might want to leave by himself.
23 years and counting since the Philadelphia 76ers last appeared in the conference finals ⏳ pic.twitter.com/XTqK5UT53D
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 3, 2024
So, let’s say Embiid decides to leave. Then the Sixers would have to resort to giving Tyrese Maxey the leader’s role. Philadelphia has shown overwhelming love towards Maxey as well while some believe he’s the true face of the franchise. But the Sixers can also avoid losing Embiid if they act on Maxey’s responsibilities immediately.
Embiid could assume the role of a second option next season while taking on defensive duties. But the issue is that Embiid cannot take damage. The 76ers do have the assets and funds to acquire someone to fill up that void during free agency.