Joel Embide did not join the Sixers for his latest road trip due to right knee pain. They were back for a matchup against the Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, and the Sixers are certainly thrilled that it was available.
Embaid led the Sixers to a 117-109 victory, scoring 42 points on 19 field attempts, grabbing 10 rebounds and helping the TVs improve to 10-5 from another MVP-level performance.
Seth Kare has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols but did not play on Wednesday as he regained condition after testing positive for Covid-1 for in January. CO. All players who test positive for COVID-1 for are not allowed to exercise for at least 10 days, according to the league’s COVID-19 protocol. Celtics star Jason Tatum may be able to return to the final of this mini-series on Friday as they progress after a positive test of the report for the Covid-19.
Here are the observations on Wednesday’s Sixers win:
Too much to ignite to control
The embed felt felt sharp and impossible to save effectively.
In picks and pops in the left elbow area and at the top of the key, the Sixers had early success, in more difficult places to double it in the team than in the lower block.
Boston still didn’t mind Embid making a double team whenever possible, and the Sixers were happy to post it too. There was a nice sequence for the Sixers in the second quarter when Ambide got a position near the left block, pulled help and made an easy pass from it, and finally saw Shake Milton sinking three on the other side of the floor. The cross-court assisting Danny Green in the third quarter was another embedded pass highlight that marked his start this season to execute on both basic and sophisticated readings from the post.
Embed is an elite to make a free throw and showed it against another opponent equipped to stop it, scoring 17 of 21. This skill was especially important when the Sixers went on a drought in the extended second quarter without a field goal. Embid’s health is paramount for the Sixers, and the team’s 0-3 record this season without him is not necessarily a clear indication of the fact. That said, give credit to Dwight Howard for being a nuisance to the Celtics and recording six offensive rebounds.
Unlike embedding, Ben Simmons ’scoring can again be described as modest. No field goal until the transition slam at the start of the third period by stealing on 24-year-old Jeff Tigu. He took his fifth foul late in the third quarter and finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
While Simmons has had a good attack on the rim on several occasions when he scored 7 from 10 fouls, the 17-point output against the Wizards on January 6 is still his high for the season. Simmons clearly contributes in many ways in addition to scoring and should benefit when Curry returns.
Tobias Harris (22 points on 9-for-17 shooting) provided some much needed offensive momentum at key moments, helping the team regain an early lead in the fourth quarter when the Sixers trailed 12-4. Four bench players.
The return of Corkmaz and the impact on the Sixers bench
Furkan Korkmaz returned on Wednesday after missing more than three weeks due to left addictive stress, posting seven points in 19 minutes, including a stylish reverse dunk. Isaiah J was a strange man because Milton, Howard, Mattis Thibule and Korkmaz were the only second-unit sixers.
Asked about before the game, head coach Doc Rivers noted that he is not the only shot shot maker on the Sixers.
“He’s a guy who can make shots but can also shake, can also furcon, so Danny Green can also seth,” Rivers said. “He’s in a line of guys we have. It is a great luxury. It is a great luxury for a person to have a bench and take a shot. You know what else I thought he also showed himself a solid defender, which would help move forward. “
After playing 45 minutes for a seven-man six on Jan. 9, he scored 17 of 39 (43.6 percent) out of three points. We assume he will get another chance soon enough, whether it comes from another player’s injury or the decision to share his minutes with Korkmaz or Thibule at some point along the rivers. As Rivers mentions, Rookie Wing is looking savvy and proud, qualities that should bump up to play his case even if his jumper isn’t falling.
A defensive question
Tyrese Maxi led the initial assignment on the Camba Vaker tax. After missing out on the start of the season with a bandit knee injury, in his second game like Waker Karr, Rookie didn’t have a good start, with two early pull-ups flowing three-pointers. Mattis Thaibul tormented Wal Wal a bit in the second quarter with his length, constant activity and disruptive rearview competitions, but Wal Wal managed to make two more long-distance jumpers. The Sixers were lucky that Walker (19 points) only played 22 minutes and didn’t stay as hot after halftime as Boston focused on getting him back into action.
However, the Sixers did not lag far behind their big men against tax, but they were not ready to bleed him regularly or push the ball with the hands of a four-time all-star. In a future playoff series, will they play a more aggressive pick-and-roll defense against him? We won’t get an answer to that question anytime soon, although we will adjust to the final match of this mini-series.
