Kevin C. Cox / Associated Press
Very few great men in the NBA can completely dominate at both ends like Joel Embiid … if he liked it. There are games in which he is the best player on the court, despite whoever plays the Philadelphia 76ers.
Then there are nights when it seems like Embiid is going through the motions. He will spend more time launching threes than placing them.
Even with the NBA pushing away from placing big men, Embiid is one of the few who can dominate out of the block. He leads the NBA in points per possession off post-ups with 1.12 on an average of 8.4 post-ups per game. His post-ups get him to the free-throw line 28.4 percent of the time.
But there are still times that Embiid does not come out with the mindset to dominate. In the Sixers’ wins, he averages 10.8 post touches. In their losses, simply 8.7. He shoots 4.8 three in defeats, which is almost two more than in victories. And his free-go attempts dropped from 9.3 attempts in wins to 8.1 in losses.
Early in the season, he received criticism Within the NBA of Charles Barkley and Shaqullie O’Neal after a loss to the Denver Nuggets. Barkley sei, “He’s the most expensive player in the league to join, but we do not talk about him as we talk about Luka [Doncic], Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Anthony Davis, James [Harden]- we never say that about him. “
Then O’Neal added, “We tell you, ‘You can be great. You don’t play hard enough.’ Twenty is not enough to get you to the next level. Do you want to be great, or do you want to be good? If you want to be good, keep doing 22 points. You want to be great, give me 28, give me 30. ”
In the first three games of the NBA reboot, Embiid was amazing. He average 32.3 points and 13.7 rebounds, despite the Sixers’ odd start. But the detached Embiid showed up in the first half of Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Earlier in the game, Embiid proceeded to set up a screen Nikola Vucevic after Nikola Vucevic. See how far he places from. He arranges for a face-up jumper without putting stress on the defense.
-
McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for “Jennifer”
-
Stars invest in plant-based foods as vegetarianism NBA soars
-
The NBA got some wild techniques this season
-
Jarrett Allen is one of the NBA’s greatest rim protectors
-
Wade’s Jersey swaps created epic moments this season
-
Westbrook makes history by honoring Nipsey Hussle
-
Devin Booker makes history with scoring
-
29 years ago, Jordan Career-High dropped 69 points
-
Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami
-
Steph Keart returns to Houston for the 1st time since his Moon Landing Troll
-
Lou Williams comes for a repeat of the sixth man of the year
-
Pat Beverley Hat the Clippers steals the LA Shine
-
LeBron Holds Shredded NBA Record Books
-
Young’s Hot Streak heats up the ROY Race with Luka
-
LeBron and 2 Chainz form a Superteam to release a new album
-
Wade’s #OneLastDance dominated February
-
Fans of Warriors go wild after unforgettable moments with Steph
-
Eight years ago, the Nuggets traded Melo to the Knicks
-
Two years ago, the Kings Boogie was sent to the pelicans
-
ASG will be competitive again if the NBA raises the stake
Late in the second quarter, Embiid tries, from a pick-and-roll, to bring Vucevic back from about the three-point line. And when the doubles team arrives, he prepares himself for a tricky baseline fadeaway with nine seconds left on the shot clock.
-
McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for “Jennifer”
-
Stars invest in plant-based foods as vegetarianism NBA soars
-
The NBA got some wild techniques this season
-
Jarrett Allen is one of the NBA’s greatest rim protectors
-
Wade’s Jersey swaps created epic moments this season
-
Westbrook makes history by honoring Nipsey Hussle
-
Devin Booker makes history with scoring
-
29 years ago, Jordan Career-High dropped 69 points
-
Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami
-
Steph Keart returns to Houston for the 1st time since his Moon Landing Troll
-
Lou Williams comes for a repeat of the sixth man of the year
-
Pat Beverley Hat the Clippers steals the LA Shine
-
LeBron Holds Shredded NBA Record Books
-
Young’s Hot Streak heats up the ROY Race with Luka
-
LeBron and 2 Chainz form a Superteam to release a new album
-
Wade’s #OneLastDance dominated February
-
Fans of Warriors go wild after unforgettable moments with Steph
-
Eight years ago, the Nuggets traded Melo to the Knicks
-
Two years ago, the Kings Boogie was sent to the pelicans
-
ASG will be competitive again if the NBA raises the stake
Embiid had six points on shots on 3-of-8, seven rebounds and one free throw attempt in the first half, and the Sixers were two down.
Within the NBA, Golden State Warriors had big man Draymond Green as a guest, and this is what he is had to say about the play of Embiid at half. “There’s no one in the NBA who can stop Joel from getting the position he wants. Joel has to think nicely about the game like this: ‘Every moment he takes a leap, he calls his defender. He lets his defender pass every time he makes a jump, and as someone who claims him, go for it and go there. I love when he takes jump photos. “
Something clicked on the half because it was another Embiid who came to play in the third quarter. In that quarter alone, he had 12 points on 3-of-6 shots and came on the line eight times, making six of them. He went into aggressive mode, and it immediately became apparent.
Beginning in the third quarter, Embiid consolidates his position, works his way to the center and shows his feathery touch with a baby jump hook over Vucevic.
-
McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for “Jennifer”
-
Stars invest in plant-based foods as vegetarianism NBA soars
-
The NBA got some wild techniques this season
-
Jarrett Allen is one of the NBA’s greatest rim protectors
-
Wade’s Jersey swaps created epic moments this season
-
Westbrook makes history by honoring Nipsey Hussle
-
Devin Booker makes history with scoring
-
29 years ago, Jordan Career-High dropped 69 points
-
Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami
-
Steph Keart returns to Houston for the 1st time since his Moon Landing Troll
-
Lou Williams comes for a repeat of the sixth man of the year
-
Pat Beverley Hat the Clippers steals the LA Shine
-
LeBron Holds Shredded NBA Record Books
-
Young’s Hot Streak heats up the ROY Race with Luka
-
LeBron and 2 Chainz form a Superteam to release a new album
-
Wade’s #OneLastDance dominated February
-
Fans of Warriors go wild after unforgettable moments with Steph
-
Eight years ago, the Nuggets traded Melo to the Knicks
-
Two years ago, the Kings Boogie was sent to the pelicans
-
ASG will be competitive again if the NBA raises the stake
Then late in the fourth quarter, Embiid gets a catch almost at the same spot as the previous clip, but this time he doesn’t make himself for a jumper. He shoots to the top and then rips the ball away to go base and ends up with an inverted dunk.
-
McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for “Jennifer”
-
Stars invest in plant-based foods as vegetarianism NBA soars
-
The NBA got some wild techniques this season
-
Jarrett Allen is one of the NBA’s greatest rim protectors
-
Wade’s Jersey swaps created epic moments this season
-
Westbrook makes history by honoring Nipsey Hussle
-
Devin Booker makes history with scoring
-
29 years ago, Jordan Career-High dropped 69 points
-
Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami
-
Steph Keart returns to Houston for the 1st time since his Moon Landing Troll
-
Lou Williams comes for a repeat of the sixth man of the year
-
Pat Beverley Hat the Clippers steals the LA Shine
-
LeBron Holds Shredded NBA Record Books
-
Young’s Hot Streak heats up the ROY Race with Luka
-
LeBron and 2 Chainz form a Superteam to release a new album
-
Wade’s #OneLastDance dominated February
-
Fans of Warriors go wild after unforgettable moments with Steph
-
Eight years ago, the Nuggets traded Melo to the Knicks
-
Two years ago, the Kings Boogie was sent to the pelicans
-
ASG will be competitive again if the NBA raises the stake
Embiid ended the match with 23 points, 13 rebounds and 13 attempts to claim. The performance of the second half is the three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA player the Sixers expect to see the entire game.
In the third and fourth quarters, TNT’s Jared Greenberg asked coach Brett Brown about Embiid’s third quarter. “I mean, it’s a mentality. The disposition he came up with to start that half was not about game calls or anything. I liked his physical approach, and the team feeds that and it thrives in defense. “your point, it was very different from the first half.”
The Sixers will need Embiid to not only play as an All-Star, but as a superstar in the bubble with Ben Simmons indefinitely with a knee injury. He has the skill to be the most dominant big man in the NBA and a game-changer whenever he wants to be.
To steal a line from the Great Aristotle (Shaq), who stole the steel from the real Aristotle: “Excellence is not a singular act; it is a habit. You are what you do.” Joel Embiid has all the tools, but he needs to change his mind to reach his full potential.
Mo Dakhil spent six years with the Los Angeles Clippers and two years with the San Antonio Spurs as video coordinator, as well as three years with the Australian men’s national team. Follow him on Twitter, @MoDakhil_NBA.
.
