The Philadelphia 76ers have not been at full strength this season, but they have still managed to establish a winning record so far. Most of the credit goes to their lethal backcourt rotation led by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes, with Joel Embiid also providing solid production despite his strict minutes restriction.
Embiid has appeared in six games as of this writing, and in just a hair over 23 minutes per appearance, he has averaged almost 20 points per game. But are we really surprised by this level of production from the former Most Valuable Player? The answer is no, and the biggest talking point about the superstar is the fact that the 76ers have now given him something he’s never had before.
Unlike previous years, Philly has now done so several dynamic and high-scoring guards next to Embiid. Previously, the 76ers only had one Ben Simmons or James Harden to try to make life easier for him. Now he has three to four players who can do the heavy lifting in the backcourt while setting the table for him and their other teammates.
The 76ers finally surrounded Joel Embiid with something he’s never had before
Maxey has been Embiid’s main sidekick in recent years, but this season he has taken a huge leap and emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. However, it’s not just his already deadly scores that are improving. His playmaking ability, which people feared had plateaued last season, has also improved by leaps and bounds, fully allowing him to become an elite point guard.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe has also stood out in his rookie class as he has taken the league by storm thanks to his striking athleticism, maturity on and off the field, and raw talent not only on offense, but on defense as well. He has also managed to accelerate his growth as a facilitator, thriving as the team’s second rescue option.
There’s also Quentin Grimes, who might be the best floor space the 76ers have to complement Embiid and those two guards. After a summer of push-and-pull with the front office, he was eager to prove that he is worth a lucrative deal, and that he will most likely get what he wants next year given his highly efficient play as a sixth man.
We haven’t even mentioned Jared McCain, who is too talented not to overcome post-injury rust. Once he manages to figure things out, he’ll give Embiid a new smooth operator who can make life easy for him.
The 76ers have one of the most complete backcourts in the NBA. And with more reps together as the team gets healthier bodies, Joel Embiid will certainly have an easier time returning to his dominant, MVP-caliber form, albeit within the current limitations.
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