Getty Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid decided to forego knee surgery in the offseason after playing on a torn meniscus.
Those cheap shooting fouls made famous by Trae Young in last year’s playoffs are hopefully going the way of the dinosaurs. The NBA enacted a rule change to crack down on foul-hunting stars, one that takes away premeditated pump fakes meant to initiate contact.
Young is the league’s poster boy for bending the rules. It is annoying, according to Joel Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers All-Star was hyper-critical of the referees throughout the Eastern Conference semifinals. After the Sixers’ 125-113 win on Thursday (Oct. 7), Embiid added fuel to the fire when asked about the rule change. And he seemed to be throwing shade at Young in the process.
“I think it’s good and usually it lasts for a little bit and then they don’t care anymore,” Embiid told reporters, “so I hope it lasts for the whole season and beyond. Because it is annoying, even go back to last year in the playoffs, it is annoying.”
Young went to the free-throw line 69 times in the Hawks-Sixers series, including a whopping 19 times in Game 5. Embiid took issue with the way the officials unfairly doled out fouls and called out the “minimal contact that they get on their point guard.” That was a not-so-subtle shot at Young. Embiid hopes the new rule change will benefit defenders.
“For me, personally, it doesn’t affect me,” Embiid said. “I think it’s more for the guards, you know shooters and guys that like to jump backward into defenders. I think it’s great for defenders, you know guys like Danny [Green]. They’re finally going to get the benefit of the doubt.”
Joel Embiid says that NBA refs cracking down on guys hunting for fouls is mostly for guards and doesn’t “really affect” him.
“I hope it lasts for the whole season and beyond because it is annoying.”
🤔 || #NBA75 || 🏀
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Injured Knee Not Bothering Embiid
Embiid played seven playoff games on a torn meniscus last June. He averaged 30.4 points and 12.7 rebounds in those contests, sometimes wincing in pain but never complaining about it. The runner-up for MVP decided to forego offseason surgery and let his injured knee heal on its own.
The Sixers’ big man saw 20 minutes in the team’s second preseason game. It was his first real action since that early postseason exit to the Hawks. Embiid said he felt good and mentioned that he’s trying to add a new weapon to his arsenal.
Just have to appreciate this wonderful footwork from Joel Embiid. Truly special stuff.
“I felt good,” Embiid said. “First game in a little bit, I felt pretty good, playing against Toronto is always a challenge for me – not necessarily a challenge but these are the type of games where I really focus on passing the ball and inviting double teams and kicking it out.
“That’s not the type of game where I’m going to go out and score 50 [points] because they double team and triple team every single possession, but it was good. I told Tyrese [Maxey], ‘I’m going to have 10 assists’ so I was trying to figure it out how to be a better passer. You know, a few turnovers here and there, but I can always get better.”
Embiid finished with 10 points and six rebounds, plus three assists. The Sixers return to the floor on Monday (Oct. 11) when they take on the Brooklyn Nets at Wells Fargo Center.
Adjusting to New Point Guards in Philly
With no resolution in sight for attention-seeking star Ben Simmons, the Sixers are looking for a new starting point guard. Tyrese Maxey took the job in the first preseason game and Shake Milton got the call in the second one. Head coach Doc Rivers said it’s not a competition. He just wants to try different guys out there.
“We’re just going to get through camp and let them both play,” Rivers told reporters. “And I don’t know if this is a team where there’s a starting lineup. It’s just going to be different guys on nights and that’s how we’re going to play.”
Tobias Harris on what Tyrese Maxey & Shake Milton have brought to the @sixers thus far:
“Two guys who have been going at it in training camp. Competing. We need both of those guys to be confident. Those are two guys who are important to our unit… They’re up for the challenge.”
Embiid noticed similarities in the way the offense ran through both Maxey and Milton. He expects a lot more pick-and-roll opportunities this season, compared to how Simmons orchestrated it in previous years.
“I feel like this season we’re definitely going to run more pick-and-rolls,” Embiid said. “That’s something we haven’t done quite [enough] in the past, so I think he’s all about finding what we do best. Me, personally, it’s helping those guys. My job is to help all these guys, not necessarily scoring.”
The Sixers last Point Guard could not do this
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