As he has done so frequently this season, Joel Embiid took the lead Friday night in Minnesota. By the end of the third quarter, the team did not need him to do any more work.
Embiid was able to comfortably watch from the bench for the final 14:04 after scoring 37 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the 118ers’ 118-94 victory over the Timberwolves at Target Center.
The 14-6 Sixers play the Pacers next Sunday night.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers began his media availability by sharing his admiration for Hall of Fame coach and Philadelphia basketball icon John Chaney, who passed away on Friday at the age of 89.
“I just loved him as a man,” Rivers said. “I liked how he behaved, and how he fought for his team, his players, but also just the institution in many ways. He was so much more than just a basketball coach. He really was a teacher and a teacher in life. We don’t have that much anymore. He will be missed. ‘
Here are observations on the Sixers victory Friday:
Resist early shooting
Embiid’s status was in question throughout the day due to the tightness of his back, but he was in the starting lineup of the Sixers. It was an attractive game for him on paper against veteran Ed Davis, as Minnesota was without big men Karl-Anthony Towns (health and safety protocols) and Naz Reid (right wrist sprain).
However, Embiid mistakenly missed the mid-range jumpers early on that he has sunk so often this season. He missed his first five shots and the Sixers were 2 for 14 in the first period as a team on midfield efforts, according to Cleaning the Glass. Ben Simmons also started 0 for 5.
However, the Sixers managed to score at a normal rate by pulling plenty of free throws, and Embiid was, as usual, the standout in the category. Embiid made 152 free kicks with his 16-for-18 night on the foul line.
It is second in the league behind Trae Young, despite Embiid putting out four games, and one factor reinforcing the idea that the Sixers could beat the Eastern Conference elite in the post-season. He is apparently a lock for double-digit release attempts every game at this point.
While it’s probably necessary for players like Seth Curry, Danny Green and Shake Milton to make open jumpers perform for the Sixers in the post-season, Embiid’s mistakes and general 1-on-1 brilliance reduce the damage from any shooting problems, as we saw Friday. His sharp early season work against doubles teams is also a positive sign when he considers the Sixers’ overview.
“It’s just domination on his part,” Tobias Harris said. ‘I think he got it right, and he did such a great job of creating plays for other guys out of the post. Tonight they had to keep him upright. He continues to figure it out, continues to dominate out there and it’s a pleasure to be able to be on the floor with him if he acts like that and goes that way. It makes us a great team. ‘
Tyrese Maxey bagged six key points in the second quarter at a time when the second unit of the team also did not have much offensive success or rhythm.
Avoid a bad pattern from last season
A disturbing trend for the 2019-20 Sixters on the road was the frustration of the team over the offensive misery that leaked into the defense.
“You just can not live off your offense,” Rivers said during training camp. ‘And it’s not just our team, but also teams that are not doing well. Your transgression will fail you. … It’s being human; it happens. But you can still win the game. If we can get the kind of confidence that we are going to win, whether we make shots or not, then it will make us a hengse power. ”
Friday night’s game was an excellent example of Rivers’ point. It would have been easy (and understandable) for the Sixers to lose focus and intensity defensively. Logic suggested that their superior talent would win at some point, but no team is good enough to survive a terrible shooting range by simply hoping it will eventually start hitting jumpers. The Sixers had to compete on defense, and they deserve credit for that.
Matisse Thybulle had a particularly strong defensive night and stole three of the Sixers’ 11. Rivers said the Sixers asked Thybulle to be ‘solid’ on defense because he doesn’t have to gamble much to get deflection and steal.
“He had 12 bends alone in one quarter,” Rivers said. ‘And Joel was incredible, but if I were to give a match ball, it would probably be Matisse, or we would split it with the two, because I thought he was a difference-maker.
“I thought he was frustrating (Ricky) Rubio, and then he thought he was phenomenal on (D’Angelo) Russell. He’s just a hell of a defender. He now has his legs under him, he knows what we’ve about him expected and he has been great. ”
With this win, the Sixers are 4-5 on track, meaning they need another eight wins to adjust to last season’s total.
Waiting for Scott’s return
Mike Scott missed his seventh consecutive game with swelling of the right knee. While it may not seem very important in isolation, Rivers has mentioned several times that Scott’s absence limits the Sixers’ options and increases the importance of keeping Simmons and Harris out of trouble.
How can Rivers’ rotation change if Scott is available? Maybe Furkan Korkmaz’s minutes will be cut off, though the Sixers are determined to help him find a rhythm.
There is a little less burden on players like Harris, who played a team highlight of 34 minutes on Friday.
“I like one of the three – Joel, Tobias or Ben – on the floor at all times,” Rivers said. ‘I do not like how we do it now, because we extend one of their minutes out of night every time. I do not like it. Without a four, we literally have no choice but to do so.
“We played Furk – or whoever wants to claim the four … I think Matisse called himself the four on one piece tonight. You play the right team, a bigger team, it’s really hard. So I like one of the three on I think it’s good for us. We’re deep enough not to do it, but most matches I’ll have on the floor. ”
One may also wonder how Dwight Howard will be affected. Rivers used Simmons as a center for small balls in the first half of the win over the Lakers on Wednesday and admitted before Friday’s game that Howard had a sub-run recently. The veteran had three points, 10 rebounds and four fouls in 17 minutes against Minnesota.
“I’m not that worried about it,” Rivers said. “He did not play well. It happens in life, it just happens, and he will go through it. He’s been around long enough. I thought the Lakers adapted and became small for a moment, touching him. Detroit did the same. You can stay big, which I do regularly, or sometimes you can adjust. Our problem, of course, is that Mike Scott is out of account. We do not have many adjustments that we can currently go for, and that has certainly limited us. ”
Simmons in the middle will certainly not become the norm, though Rivers said, “It’s a look I’d like.” He is looking forward to working on it, noting that the Sixers will have a rare opportunity to practice early next week.