Joel Embiid understands the growing pains Tyrese Maxey is battling as he takes over for Ben Simmons. Maxey is a self-admitted work in progress, a player committed to getting one-percent better every day. Until he gets there, Embiid plans to share the point guard responsibilities for the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s not that the 7-footer doesn’t trust Maxey – nothing could be further from the truth – but Embiid knows the offense better. He has been playing the role of “point center” for a few years now and getting his teammates involved is important for his own development.
Embiid is averaging 4.2 assists per game this season, up from his career high of 3.7 in 2019. You’ll often see him bring the ball up the court and call out offensive sets. All of it is intentional, a way to assert his leadership even more.
“Tyrese is more of a scorer, he can be way better as a point guard, so someone has to kind of take that responsibility whether it’s calling plays or getting the offense going,” Embiid said. “I feel like until Tyrese becomes that guy, that’s something I have to do. So I’ve kind of been focusing on the playmaking and that aspect but it’s also a little bit of me being aggressive. I’m still figuring out when to mix it up.”
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Sixers Need to Play ‘Way Better’
The Sixers are nowhere near a finished product after five games. Their 3-2 record has them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, a far cry from the top spot they owned for the majority of the 2020-21 campaign.
Embiid has been particularly critical of their toughness. The New York Knicks bullied them the other night, something that didn’t sit well with anyone.
“We need to get way better,” Embiid said after beating Detroit 110-102. “No disrespect to Detroit but they haven’t won a game so we can’t feel happy about our performance tonight. How can you be happy about it? But as a team we just played New York and it was a different energy level. They were tougher than us, more physical, they got what they wanted. We couldn’t guard our men. We need to be way better defensively than we have been. We got to guard our own men.”
Head coach Doc Rivers agreed, adding that the schedule makers did them no favors. Three of their first five contests were on the road.
“We’re a work in progress,” Rivers said. “We see that. We understand that.”
No Excuses, Injured Knee Not the Problem
Embiid has never been one to blame injuries for poor performance. Remember, this is the guy who played seven playoff games on a torn meniscus. The MVP runner-up couldn’t walk for two days following the season opener in New Orleans, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Embiid bumped his right knee – the same one which had a small, lateral meniscus tear last season – and hasn’t been 100-percent. No excuses. He’s fine.
“I always say there’s no excuses but I’m fine,” Embiid said. “I mean, I can’t complain. I’m doing what I love and every single day I wake up and that’s what I want to do so you know that’s what I’m going to keep focusing on whatever happens happens. But I’m fine.”
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