Can the Sixers put behind their misery and get their first win of the season against the San Antonio Spurs? Will Joel Embiid be up for the task?
Advertisement
The Philadelphia 76ers possibly had the toughest schedule to start their 2022-23 season, as they faced the defending Eastern Conference Champs on opening day and 2021 NBA champs on Thursday.
Both games ended bitterly for Joel Embiid’s team. While James Harden is balling out and averaging 33 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in those games, the 7-footer’s double-double contributions were ineffective for getting a win.
He will get a chance to better his lack of effort on both sides of the floor as Philly host the San Antonio Spurs Saturday evening as their first opponents from the West. But will their MVP be playing?
Joel Embiid will take the court against the Spurs
Greg Popovic’s boys continue to take on the opponents from East and will take on the Sixers inside Wells Fargo Center, at 3:00 PM ET.
Both teams played their last games without any reported injuries and will continue to do so. Hence, we will see an angry giant on the court trying to get his team their first win of the season.
In both of his last two games, fans and experts have seen the last year’s scoring champ not putting much effort into defense while also not being much effective on offense.
Embiid will have to come up big on both sides of the ball
If Doc Rivers’ team is serious about winning a championship they need their 5x All-Star to step and perform at an MVP level.
And for him to reach the MVP level, he’ll need to be his best on both ends of the floor. The ceiling of that for him, unlike the reigning 2x MVP Nikola Jokic, should be an ‘All-Defensive Team‘ type effort whenever he plays.
One can not play a certain way all throughout the season and then be elite on defense all of a sudden come Playoffs. Not everybody can be LeBron James.
