The Embiid of it all

Joel Embiid dominates the Celtics.

The numbers are simple. The possible MVP averaged almost 37 factors per sport on 61% taking pictures and twelve journeys to the road in the course of the common season. Of their solely win towards Boston earlier this month, Embiid scored 52 factors with 13 rebounds and 6 assists and the 76ers gained by two.

Nevertheless, in his very own words, “this isn’t a rivalry. I don’t know our file towards them, however they at all times kick our @%$. This isn’t a rivalry.” Embiid is simply 8-10 towards Boston within the common season and even worse within the playoffs at 1-8, together with a sweep three years in the past within the bubble.

After all, Joel Embiid isn’t the one participant that the Celtics want to fret about. After all, James Harden deserves just about as much attention than Embiid does. After all Doc Rivers raised a banner and can by no means need to pay for dinner at his favourite restaurant ever once more in Boston. But when Philadelphia goes to face an opportunity at breaking their latest dropping streak to the Celtics, Embiid has to ship.

Throughout nearly all of the video games, Boston elected to play Embiid straight up and he delivered. He averaged a utilization charge of 36% and for good cause. His 69.5% true taking pictures share was second solely to P.J. Tucker. He was extremely environment friendly along with be drastically relied on and extra so, his method advanced from their first assembly to kick off the season to his closing masterpiece on April 4th. Right here’s Embiid’s shot distribution over the course of 2022-2023:

Grid View

A number of numbers soar off the web page:

• Embiid, who shot 33% from behind the arc this 12 months, traded threes for restricted space appears to be like. That stage of self-discipline is why he’s extensively thought-about to be the Most Invaluable Participant favourite.
• With the Celtics not often double teaming above the break, Embiid feasted within the mid-range. For the 12 months, Embiid made 48.6% of his long-2’s. League common is 42%. In opposition to Boston, he hit 16-of-30 (53.3%).
• The free throws. If Embiid will get into double-digit makes an attempt on the line, that’s an analytical margin that can maintain head coach Joe Mazzulla up all night time.

In Spherical 1, Brooklyn tried to maintain the ball out of Embiid’s arms by always double teaming him and letting the opposite 76ers do their harm. In flip, he solely averaged 13 pictures a sport — seven fewer than within the common season. His teammates stepped up although. Tyrese Maxey had 33 in Recreation 2. Tobias Harris scored 21 in a Recreation 3 blowout. Boston would possibly throw an additional man at him now and again (suppose low shot clock conditions or if he’s turning into the paint off of low submit place), however for essentially the most half, they’ll keep house with their coverages.

So, in case you’re a fan of Grant Williams and missed him towards the Hawks, purchase tickets for Monday and Wednesday at TD Backyard. Naturally, the Boston large man that defended Embiid essentially the most all 12 months was Al Horford. However within the closing two video games within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, it was Williams that drew the task most frequently. Reality be instructed, Embiid completely cooked Williams. In that closing (meaningless) sport at first of April, he hit 9 out of his ten pictures with the self-proclaimed Batman as his closest defender.

It wasn’t Grant greatest night time for certain, however like Horford, his velocity and measurement give Mazzulla one other choice to proceed to make use of single protection on Embiid. If Williams can keep out of foul bother and if Williams can pressure Embiid away from the basket with fadeaway jumpers and if Embiid grows pissed off and settles, that could possibly be the distinction between a 30-point night time vs. a 40- to 50-point explosion and extra importantly, a Celtics win and loss.

That’s all the key to the second spherical. Keep in mind when Jerry West gained Finals MVP although the Lakers misplaced to Invoice Russell and the Celtics in seven video games? Boston can be pleased with the identical formulation towards Philadelphia. Embiid’s well being is clearly a wild card, however the Celtics gameplan towards him gained’t be.

All 12 months, Mazzulla has performed the numbers and he appears content material permitting Embiid (and Harden) to get their numbers whereas holding everyone else at bay. That was the method towards Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray in Spherical 1 and can almost certainly be Boston’s method in Spherical 2. Boston had the perimeter defenders and schemes to at the least make it troublesome for the Hawks. With Grant Williams almost certainly returning into the fold and even veteran Blake Griffin accessible to muck up The Course of, they’ll now depend on their entrance court docket depth to test the opposing workforce’s greatest participant.

For extra on the collection, take a look at CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith’s full second round preview up on the location.

The Celtics are 10-point favorites for Game 1 and with Embiid’s availability in query, Boston’s odds of not simply advancing to the convention finals (-450) but additionally representing the East in The Finals with presumably their hardest opponent limping into the second spherical has peaked at -240 according to our friends at DraftKings. Comparably, Philly has dropped to a +475.

If Embiid is out, right here’s a fast single sport parlay with extra accountability falling on the remainder of the Sixers: 30+ factors from Tyrese Maxey, 10+ assists from James Harden, and 12+ rebounds from Tobias Harris is a +5500 bet.

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