ESPN’s Tim Bontemps provided an analysis of Joel Embiid this week based on his preseason debut that is sure to resonate with Philadelphia 76ers fans. “I wouldn’t say he liked a point per minute again, but he certainly looked like the guy who played the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs with Bell’s Palsy and still had 30, 12 and six in games,” Bontemps said.
I think this assessment would agree with what most Sixers fans have been saying. Embiid may not be back to the level of dominance those in Philadelphia are used to, but he is clearly making progress and slowly getting back on track. The 76ers need to get their wins where they can with the injury situations, and this is definitely a positive.
For this Philadelphia team to reach its potential, Joel must reclaim his title as one of the best players in the NBA. Last season’s results were of course mainly because Embiid had to miss so much time on the field. Seeing him return to something resembling a normal rhythm in preseason suggests he’s already starting to look closer to his former self.
Bontemps said Joel Embiid looks better than last season
It’s safe to say the eye test worked in Embiid’s favor in his preseason debut. He seemed more mobile than last season, moving quite well and stepping into his three-point attempts with his usual confidence. I’d say his body language is as important as anything else at this stage of the game, especially in a practice match where the stats don’t really mean much.
Of course it’s still early. There’s no guarantee that the Sixers’ franchise player will continue his trajectory and stay healthy for most of this year. That said, the only thing we can go off of so far is the lone appearance he has had on the hardwood over the past eight months.
Coming out with a level of visible confidence and poise to become one of the best players in the game, even if he isn’t back to his normal form yet, is exactly what everyone in Philadelphia was hoping to see. There’s still a long way to go, but Embiid may soon be on his way back to his previous level of dominance.
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