Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers battles Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at State Farm Arena on November 10, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ slow start continues as they most recently lost a 104-95 snoozefest at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks. Despite Atlanta shooting just 44.3% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the three-point arc, the Sixers never found themselves having a true chance to pick up the victory. Joel Embiid finished the matchup with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists. He shot just 9-18 from the field and also turned the ball over a game-high seven times.
Embiid also battled foul problems during the game which limited his minutes. The superstar picked up his fourth foul with 7:07 left in the third quarter and was subbed out shortly after. During the remainder of the quarter, the Hawks went on a 25-14 run to extend the Hawks’ lead to 14 points.
He voiced his frustrations regarding this run occurring while he was on the bench following the loss. As Embiid put it to reporters, “I think I’m smart enough not to foul. But I thought that’s probably when the game changed. They went on that run and we could never get it back… I trust whatever my teammates and coaches say. Tonight, it just happened to be, at the time, probably the wrong decision.” per Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Joel Embiid getting active on both ends of the floor 🔥
Doc Rivers Claps Back?
Doc Rivers was also asked about his rotational decisions following the loss. He did his best to brush off any potential controversy regarding the decision to bench Embiid due to foul trouble. Rivers claimed it was a simple decision and stated, “Joel got those fouls. Really tough call for me. He had four fouls to leave him in, if he gets his fifth, now you’re one foul away. That one hurt us as well,” per Ky Carlin of SixersWire.
In Rivers’ defense, he is correct that the Sixers would not have benefitted from having Embiid out there playing too carefully. The big man is at his best when imposing himself defensively and this is difficult to do if fouling is a concern. The Sixers have not received this type of effort often enough to start the season and it has been a major reason for their slow start. While Embiid has been better in recent games, he still looks to be shaking off some off-season rust.
Would Playing Embiid Have Mattered?
Embiid has the right to be upset the run happened while he was not on the court. He finished the game with a +10 plus/minus rating despite the Sixers losing by nine points. However, this simple decision was not what cost them the game.
The Sixers once again produced a sluggish performance and played uninspired basketball. They were outrebounded 54-45, outscored in the paint 44-38, and turned the ball over 15 times. The Hawks played an incredibly poor game on the second night of their back-to-back, yet comfortably held a lead for the duration of the game. There continues to be a growing concern about Rivers’ ability to lead this team. Or maybe it is the team’s reception to the veteran head coach at this point in time. Either way, it is clear things are not aligned within the Sixers organization and the team is suffering as a result.
The Sixers lack of effort is undeniable this season
💩Dead last in the NBA in contested shots
💩2nd worst in cuts to the basket
💩5th worst in points off screens
💩5th worst in opponents points in transition
💩7th worst in screen assists & loose balls recovered
It needs to stop
The biggest spark Philadelphia saw in the matchup was when Rivers’ pulled the starters with 4:31 left to play. The Hawks held a 98-81 lead when this decision was made. The bench unit, led by Montrezl Harrell and Furkan Korkmaz, led the team on a 13-4 run in under three minutes to give the team some signs of life. The starting unit returned to the court with 1:28 left to play and once again was unable to make a dent in the then-eight-point deficit.
The Sixers have now fallen to 5-7 on the season and are tied for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. It is not just the results that are so frustrating but the lack of effective play and overall desire that is being seen in this Sixers team. There is still time to right the ship, but it will require some soul-searching, sacrifice, and change within the team for this to occur.