Joel Embiid had a nightmarish performance in Sunday's loss to LeBron James, Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite being expected to carry the team with his usual brilliance, Embiid shot just 4-for-21 from the field, showcasing his struggles on offense.
The game was marred by the Sixers' inability to find an offensive spark beyond Tyrese Maxey's efforts. Even when Embiid did manage to create scoring opportunities, he often found himself off the mark or out of position, disrupting the team's flow. His frustration with himself grew as he struggled to break out of his shooting woes, leading to some ill-advised attempts.
What makes Embiid's struggles particularly problematic is that he offers little defensive resistance or rebounding presence, making it challenging for the Sixers to hide him on the back line against teams with high-powered perimeter scorers. This liability was exposed in Sunday's game, as LeBron James and Luka Dončić took full advantage of Embiid's immobility.
The Sixers' reliance on Embiid remains a concern, as they navigate their own objectives between short-term winning and establishing themselves without his involvement. With the former NBA MVP struggling to make an impact, it's uncertain whether the team can overcome this hurdle.
In other news, Dominick Barlow continued to shine in his role, providing impressive one-on-one defense against both LeBron James and Luka Dončić. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey had a frustrating outburst after not being called for a foul on a block attempt, ultimately receiving a technical foul from the referee.
The game was marred by the Sixers' inability to find an offensive spark beyond Tyrese Maxey's efforts. Even when Embiid did manage to create scoring opportunities, he often found himself off the mark or out of position, disrupting the team's flow. His frustration with himself grew as he struggled to break out of his shooting woes, leading to some ill-advised attempts.
What makes Embiid's struggles particularly problematic is that he offers little defensive resistance or rebounding presence, making it challenging for the Sixers to hide him on the back line against teams with high-powered perimeter scorers. This liability was exposed in Sunday's game, as LeBron James and Luka Dončić took full advantage of Embiid's immobility.
The Sixers' reliance on Embiid remains a concern, as they navigate their own objectives between short-term winning and establishing themselves without his involvement. With the former NBA MVP struggling to make an impact, it's uncertain whether the team can overcome this hurdle.
In other news, Dominick Barlow continued to shine in his role, providing impressive one-on-one defense against both LeBron James and Luka Dončić. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey had a frustrating outburst after not being called for a foul on a block attempt, ultimately receiving a technical foul from the referee.
! Joel Embiid just had the worst game ever, it's like he was playing against himself 
. I mean, 4-21? That's insane even for him! He needs to step up his game ASAP or it's gonna be tough for the Sixers to compete. And I feel bad for Tyrese Maxey, that block attempt and no foul call is just harsh 
. But on a positive note, Dominick Barlow is a total beast 
! One-on-one defense against LeBron and Luka? No problem 
. The Sixers need to find a way to make Embiid's struggles work for them or else they'll be stuck in a rut forever 
. It's awesome to see him shine in a big moment.
. They need to find ways to balance his greatness with some more consistency from the bench or through role players. Until then, it's gonna be tough to ride this guy all season long 
! The guy's still carrying that team on his back even when he's having an off night and it's not cool to bash him like this 
. He's got a tough job trying to make up for the lack of depth around him, especially when guys like Tyrese Maxey can't seem to get it going 
. And don't even get me started on how much Embiid relies on defense, he can barely guard anyone himself 
. The Sixers need to find a way to balance his greatness with the rest of the team's weaknesses or else they'll never win anything 
. It's like they're stuck in neutral mode and it's frustrating to watch 
4-21 from the field is crazy 
he's got the skills to dominate but it seems like his confidence is low right now
his one-on-one defense is on point and he should def be getting more mins in games where it matters most 
tech foul for being salty after not getting the call on that block attempt? yeah no kidding
this is where I think the Sixers have to re-evaluate their system... Embiid's struggles arent just about him tho, its about how they're supporting him & his teammates 
and on a separate note, dominick barlow is straight fire 
it's like he's struggling to even get into a rhythm on offense and when he does, he's just missing shots left and right 
especially with all these high-powered scorers coming at him from the perimeter... i mean i feel for the guy, he's still an elite talent, but it's gonna be tough for the sixers to keep relying on him when he's not performing up to par