Joel Embiid silenced the critics with a 1st half comeback against the Hornets

ByNBAUSA



There are no two ways about it: Joel Embiid had a rough outing in the opening night win over the Philadelphia 76ers over the Boston Celtics.

Taking the court under a minutes restriction as he continues to work his way back from knee surgery, Embiid played one of his quietest games of his career, scoring just four points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field while barely trying to harass Celtics defenders in the paint. His -16 +/- ranks last on the team, one of only three players with a negative rating in the game, and critics like Bill Simmons openly questioned whether Embiid was cooked based on the competition.

After two days of fans openly questioning whether the 76ers were suddenly Tyrese McKay and VJ Edgecombe’s team, Embiid took the court in his usual starting spot in Game 2 against the Charlotte Hornets and immediately reminded people who he is. scored 16 points in 15 minutes while collecting four assists, two rebounds and a steal while making three of his five 3-point attempts.

Huh, more than a point a minute? God, that sounds like vintage Embiid.

Of course, Embiid still doesn’t look fully healthy, moving with a little more effort than when he’s 100 percent, but “The Process” did a little bit of everything in the first half, and as the game moved into the third, he continued to do just that, going 20 for 20 while helping Quentin Grimes regain his power in the opener after a slump.

Is Embiid a point-per-game scorer again? Will the offense revert to his tried-and-true methodical transition to the basket with shooters around him? Or will Nick Nurse stay committed to pace and space with his young guards, using Embiid as a distributor as often as an ISO scorer? Fans will find out soon enough, but for now, any fear that Embiid will be rotisserie chicken may be over.





2025-10-26 01:25:00

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