Joel Embiid talked after his first preseason game about how playing with one star player will benefit him in the long run.
After a long time away from the court, Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers for the final preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Embiid appeared to be in good shape, scoring 14 points in just 19 minutes on the court. However, one of the most notable aspects of his game was his playmaking.
Embiid slammed NBA reporters after the game, explaining why he was trying to emphasize his playmaking even more.
And for Embiid, the one person who benefits from his playmaking appears to be key, as he will be relying on him to do much of the heavy lifting on the court.
Joel Embiid spoke to reporters about playing with Philadelphia 76ers star Adem Bona. This would have been a unique experience since Embiid had rarely played with big players before.
Embiid insisted Bona can do the dirty work, which is huge for him coming back from injury. As for the chemistry between the two, Embiid wants to wait and see what happens long-term.
“Being big will help with rebounding. He plays hard, picks up loose balls…I’ve always tried to have the rim and be a presence there. He does the dirty work and I think he’s good with it.”
“He understands his role and he knows what we need from him. And when I look back at my career, I think that’s what was always needed…
“It’s a long road, especially since I’m trying to come back and get on the right path.
“It’s like I’m about to figure it out. I don’t know. I’ve always had to do everything on both ends. I love doing it, but then…
“There’s a lot of risk involved. We’ll see. We don’t know what’s going to happen. If we win, that’s fine.”
Joel Embiid may have looked very good in his first appearance against the Philadelphia 76ers. But in reality, he has to prove his consistency once again.
Even his 19 impressive minutes in a preseason game probably won’t be enough to allay 76ers fans’ concerns about Embiid’s health.
As things stand, Embiid will play in the 76ers’ season opener, which is a huge boost for the 76ers. But I hope he can stay healthy for most of the season.
If Embiid can play closer to 55-60 games with the 76ers, that would be a huge boost. But if he can play better than that, he absolutely should.