OKC Thunder: 3 keys versus 76ers and facing Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid wages an MVP-worthy campaign:
While the 76ers navigated having players out due to COVID-19 and varying injuries they maintained their hold atop the East’s ladder until just recently.
Early in the season, the 76ers struggled whenever Joel Embiid didn’t play. Through the first two months of the season, he missed single games on seven occasions with the 76ers losing five of those matches.
So, when Embiid landed awkwardly after a dunk versus the Wizards there were concerns he was badly injured. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t a long-term problem but kept the big man out 10 games with a hyperextended leg. Still, that was a long time considering Philly’s prior struggles without their big man. The team responded and gutted their way through those 10 matches winning seven.
Prior to the injury, he was the frontrunner for MVP and may still be the top pick of most writers.
On the season Embiid is averaging a double-double of 29.4 points and 11.1 rebounds. In addition, the big man dishes 3.1 assists, snares 1.1 steals, blocks 1.4 shots, and connects on 38.2 percent of his perimeter attempts.
Embiid has feasted on most teams. Two teams who’ve bottled him up were the Hornets who held him to 19 and 14 points and the Raptors who held him to his worst (23.1 percent) and third-worst (30 percent) shooting efficiency of the season. The Mavericks held him to his second-worst shooting efficiency and followed the consecutive matches versus Toronto.
He enters this match coming off a sub-par performance in which he scored under 20 points (14) for just the fourth time this season and shot his fourth-worst shooting efficiency (31.3%).
It’s worth noting, that after those poor performances he responded by scoring between 38 and 42 points. Facing the young Thunder expect a big night from Embiid who returned to the hardwood after the loss to the Pelicans to get up extra shots.
Three OKC Thunder bigs will factor:
After missing 16 games with a shoulder contusion Darius Bazley is listed as probable for this match. His presence won’t propel the inexperienced, youthful Thunder group to victory, but it’ll be great to have one of the young core back.
Moreover, Bazley as a sophomore can use the experience to expand his game and take the lessons with him as he continues to grow and develop.
The one Thunder big man who’ll undoubtedly be excited about this match is Tony Bradley who was part of the deal that sent George Hill to Philly. Embiid was a fan and made his feeling public on social media on the day of the trade stating OKC got a good one.
Yet, the player most likely to get the majority of time on Philly’s superstar is Moses Brown who’ll be able to use this as a litmus test for his own growth.