With Joel Embiid currently in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols after a positive test result, the Philadelphia 76ers will rely on Andre Drummond to fill the starting center role.
The Sixers may have come up short in their 103-96 loss to the New York Knicks without Embiid, but Drummond managed to step up in his first start of the stretch — racking up 14 points, 25 rebounds, and two blocks in 38 minutes. The Sixers lost again to the Bucks on Tuesday, but Drummond again had big numbers: 17 points, 20 rebounds.
Drummond, who has led the NBA in rebounding during four seasons, accounted for over half of the Sixers’ 47 total rebounds. In fact, his 25 rebounds were the most achieved within a single game by a member of the team since Charles Barkley in 1987.
“Andre has been great,” Doc Rivers told reporters after Monday’s game. “I think we all understand that. Obviously, this is an extreme case, without Joel. We didn’t anticipate this. But we do have a bonafide starting center. And that helps us for sure.”
Drummond followed up his strong performance against the Knicks with an impressive 17 points, 20 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks against the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.
With Embiid ruled out for ten days in part of the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, the Sixers still are slated to take on the Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets all without their superstar. Drummond will have a prime opportunity to showcase his value — for better or worse.
Drummond Is An Established Starter
The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers recently opted to move on from the Drummond experience in a starting capacity. After his tenure with the Cavs ended, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers to compete for a championship but still started alongside Anthony Davis.
Without a team looking to Drummond to fill a clear vacancy at the starting center spot, he opted to sign a one-year deal worth $2.4 million. With a decade of experience as a starting center, Drummond is more than equipped to slide into Embiid’s spot while he is sidelined.
“You forgot I did that for ten years?” Drummond told reporters when asked about handling the workload of a starting center. “[Expletive], this is my first year coming off the bench. Nothing changed. I can do it. I didn’t just lose the ability to play basketball just because I come off the bench. Me playing 40 minutes isn’t gonna change today, tomorrow, or next week. I’m here to play in whatever role they need me to play in.”
Drummond is accustomed to playing big minutes and being more of his team’s focus during his time with the Pistons. However, what he manages to provide within those minutes beyond the box score is a topic worthy of discussion.
Limitations Without Joel Embiid
The Sixers rely heavily on Joel Embiid’s scoring impact to set the tone for the rest of the offense. Opposing teams emphasize loading up on him — opening up complementary talent like Seth Curry, Furkan Korkmaz, and Georges Niang to do what they do best.
With Embiid sidelined, the Sixers do not have a low-post presence that will command such attention, given that’s not Drummond’s game. According to Synergy Sports, Drummond has recorded just eight post-up possessions to begin the season and has produced just 0.333 points per possession in such situations.
Turning the ball over at an uncharacteristically high rate for a big man has been a problem for Drummond throughout his NBA career. It’s still been an issue even in a role with the Sixers where he’s not being dumped the ball in the post frequently or attacking out of isolation.
Per Synergy Sports, Drummond is turning the ball over on 22 percent of his scoring possessions — ranking sixth-worst among all 142 players with at least 100 possessions. Keep in mind, putbacks, cuts, and roll man possessions have accounted for a combined 65.7 percent of his plays.
While the Sixers are not all of a sudden going to rely on Drummond as if he’s Embiid, Drummond must be at his best offensively while filling in for the reigning MVP finalist. Being careful with the basketball and finishing at a highly efficient clip is of utmost importance.
A pivotal element to Embiid’s impact for the Sixers is his presence defensively when patrolling the paint. Drummond will need to step in and be a key contributor as the anchor of the defense in that regard. He’s struggled as a rim protector throughout his career but will be needed to provide critical contributions to keep a top team in the Eastern Conference afloat.
The need for Drummond as a rim protector is further when considering Georges Niang has been involved as the Sixers’ third center option in addition to his role as a stretch-four. When the Sixers need rim protection from a defender with center intangibles, Drummond will need to answer the call since Niang stands at 6-foot-7.
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Sixers’ Andre Drummond Faces Prime Opportunity With Joel Embiid Out