While Joel Embiid’s heroics in the late stages of the game gave life to his sixth-man role against the Heat, his performance sparked doubts about his ability to cope with the challenges in the playoffs. Following a two-month rest after an injury he suffered, Joel Embiid had a hard time playing against the Miami defence, which was aggressive but at the same time revealed signs of mental fatigue and uncertainty.
Embiid’s playoff past, filled with both injury-marred seasons and a couple of good performances by a good but less decorated person, has increased his fandom’s expectations as far as playoff contribution goes. Nevertheless, though, by the end of the third quarter, with the heat, he could not seem to make an impact for the team and could only manage just three made shots, which should be in sync with the team’s offence.
Defence played a big role in Miami L. The team showed how they could frustrate Philadelphia by stifling the Sixers’ offensive flow as well as denying the Eagles scoring opportunities. On the other hand, Embiid’s insufficient capacity to climb up on the court self-evidently gave rise to speculations about his fitness and match readiness for such a high level of playoff basketball.
While Embiid struggled in the beginning as he nailed only 7 of his 17 shots, he raised his performance to score 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and eventually led his side to victory with a late-game spree. Although his play might have been deemed a “letdown” by audiences and analysts, his one clutch performance rescued it and earned him redeeming reviews.
This time, with the playoffs ahead, he will give himself sufficient time to recover and get ready for the first-round tie with the New York Knicks. At the same time, the Knicks are also not good defenders like those of the Miami Heat that use zone defence, which makes the job of Embiid relatively easier.
The Philadelphia Sixers are a better team than the one that faced the same circumstances last year; thus, the play-in win for Embiid and the Sixers should serve as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for improved post-season performance. In one of the league’s top-tier player combinations, Embiid will have to bear an increased level of pressure and scrutiny to make it count when it matters the most.
Getting injured in game 8, while not a major factor in the Sixers’ loss, was a reminder that his late-game heroics represent his potential more than anything in the past. So, Joel Embiid needs to step up his game and be consistent if he has any plans to follow his June college journey with a booming postseason run.
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