Finding Efficiency, Joel Embiid’s Mission – Paul George

Event in Philadelphia: Joel Embiid etc Paul George played the 20th match together! Apart from the irony of the situation, which seems to have lasted longer than 2024. the Seekers look at how their whole team has been lately. If Kelly Oubre Jr etc Trendon Watford are still in the infirmary, Joel Embiid and Paul George are coming out more and more regularly. The two All-Stars played their second back-to-back game last week against the Lakers (and therefore their 20th in two seasons). A setback for Philadelphia, which long believed it could make it through despite a night without shots from two of its expected leaders.

Paul George was fairly self-effacing with an average rating of 3/8. Joel Embiid’s 4/21 in 31 minutes stood out more, visibly very frustrated with his clumsiness, his hands begging the heavens after finally finding a target in the fourth quarter to follow up an abysmal 1/15. ” Every shot seemed to go in, I think it’s just a matter of getting back into the groove » the headquarters reacted after the meeting.

Stats among the worst of their careers

Easier said than done for the 2023 MVP with 14 games missed since the start of the season and recently limited to one of two available games. ” I think we are getting closer. The plan to then play on two days off works quite well. I hope this continues and I can play more often. But I feel pretty good. » « These shots, I’m sure he feels comfortable taking them ” said Paul George. ” That was his shot that night, but that’s part of the game. He’s working on his game. He works on his rhythm, his timing. He does extra work for it. We expect them to turn things around. But that’s the game, that’s what happens sometimes. »

In numbers, it is far from convincing. With an average of 18.2 points on 40.7% shooting, Joel Embiid signs the worst average of his career. It’s hardly better for Paul George (14.1 ppg on 41.8%), who was more clumsy only at the very end of the 2014/15 season after a serious leg injury, and with the exception of these six games, he hasn’t had such a low point average since his sophomore season in 2012. Collectively, even if the 17-point sample is even worse. Joel Embiid, 14 points at 36% for Paul George.

The stats are clearly a far cry from what the franchise has a right to expect from two players who were the league’s superstars and the two biggest contracts on the roster. ” We must insist, continue to have opportunities to be together on the floor » assesses the former Clipper in The Inquirer. « Continue to be in good shape and everything else will be taken care of when we get on the pitch and get minutes. »

A duo that is still going strong, a year and a half later

For Paul George, this patience is not the Coue method, but a logical consequence of the short time spent in evolution together with the Sixers, without even talking about development with 100% of their funds.

« We obviously try to be efficient ” he explained after the Sixers’ practice on Wednesday about his tandem with the 2024 Olympic champion. We always try to understand the spacing together and the key moments when to be aggressive, when to be aggressive, and when to look for my shots. But he didn’t play much either. So he tries to find his rhythm. He’s trying to be dynamic, and I think we’re both on the court trying to do that at the same time. More minutes means more understanding. He will know where I like to have the ball, where I am aggressive and vice versa. »

Against Les Hawkes etc Lakersthis acclimatization ended with two short losses, while Philadelphia started the season decently, especially without its two stars. But not everything has to be thrown away. Although he appeared particularly rusty during his previous performance against Golden State, to the point where he was benched in the fourth quarter, Joel Embiid turned up the aggression level Sunday against the Lakers.

Even more engaged, to free up space for his teammates after screens, as well as get points off of layups, the pivot finished with his team’s best +/- ratio (+11) in half an hour of play. Paul George, for his part, couldn’t keep the Sixers from suffering when he was matched with Andre Drummond (-20 in 14 minutes combined).

A hole in the calendar, but no break

Even if he’s no longer the dominant interior he was at his peak, Joel Embiid manages to positively impact the game, or at least not punish his team too much with six of nine games played with a positive +/- ratio. ” I don’t play every day and it’s hard for me » he assured. ” It’s hard to be on the record, and then not be anymore. But here we are, and this is what I have to do. »

The cut imposed by the NBA Cup should be good for organizations, but also for automation. ” We took advantage of these days without games » confirmed Paul George. ” Today we are in the room, we were also yesterday. So it wasn’t a vacation for us. We work to somehow be ready, to prepare our bodies, to be in shape, even if it’s bittersweet. Especially for us because we are trying to get into the rhythm of the match to return to the competition, and then there is a break. »

The Sixers, however, are counting on their veteran receiving duo in Indiana, a must-win game for Philly to continue heating up.