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The Sixers are 11-5 years old, sitting atop the Eastern Conference despite a gang of structural changes, COVID-related disruptions in their season and a few notable clunkers in the early weeks of the Doc Rivers era. Their attack slam, their execution at the critical moment was formidable and they ended a miniseries against the Boston Celtics with a two-game sweep on Friday night, dropping to 6-0 in the new series format this season.
Philadelphia is flying high, and it starts with the ongoing partnership between Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
“I’m thinking about the game, we both see different things,” Simmons told reporters on Friday night. “For me and Jo it’s a relationship that continues to grow. We talk a lot more now, in terms of being on the floor and some things we say, knowing where he wants the ball, all sets and just getting a good stream. the game and trying to play it properly. “
For the first three quarters of Friday’s game against Boston, it was Joel Embiid’s spectacle, even with the franchise center struggling in trouble for most of the evening. These Celtics have proven ill-equipped to keep him – the big guy racked up 80 points in two games in just 34 attempts, brutalizing their front line and setting off for an individual march to the strip, much to the chagrin of Celtics guard Marcus Smart . .
Simmons, as has often been the case this season, has been an offensive passenger for most of the night, focusing his energy on bouncing from Kemba Walker to Jaylen Brown to Marcus Smart and putting out the fires. on the defensive side. It’s hard to call it a thankless task as Simmons continues to make the All-Defense-level buzz for his job there, but it’s definitely the least glamorous job. to have to do to do what you want to make.
Then the fourth quarter came, with Philadelphia allowing Boston to come back into the three after a Jaylen Brown three around the five-minute mark. A personal run from Simmons, punctuated by a steal and slam on a lazy pass from Smart, pushed the lead to eight and the game out of reach, never in jeopardy for the rest of the course.
The Sixers have been an absolute heavyweight in clutch situations, topping teams by 37.5 points per 100 possessions according to the NBA Stats Database, and tThe Embiid-Simmons defensive spine was a sight to behold. They didn’t always shine simultaneously during the mid-section of games, but they were downright demonic in the tough times, playing against each other to stop the games altogether and start Philadelphia races.
Embiid sees everything from his position at the back of the defense, and his running mate’s game is not lost on the MVP candidate.
“This fourth quarter starts off on the defensive, and he was a monster,” Embiid said. “He got a lot of steals and then in the half court off the pick and roll he was attacking, he was aggressive and he made plays. He scored a few baskets, he was huge tonight.”
Recognition of how the game unfolded has been one of the many positive developments for Embiid this year. As Simmons began to launch in Q4, Doc Rivers told reporters it was Embiid who asked to run more pick-and-roll on the stretch, standing sideways in the middle of a 38-point blast to let the hot hand grab the wheel. The head coach believes this sends a powerful message to everyone on the squad, and the results speak for themselves, with Simmons scoring 11 points in the final period to put the game aside.
Understanding and nurturing the right guy at the right time has traditionally been seen as the job of the leader, something Simmons has taken seriously since the start of his career. But Rivers’ message from day one of camp was for the whole team to agree to score by any means necessary, through whoever has the best chance to help them win. This requires self-assessment at all times, before, during and after matches, win or lose.
Embiid and Simmons have had an open line of dialogue this season, which the two seem to enjoy as a positive influence on the way they play together.
“The other day he texted me and said, ‘I’ve missed you too many times on your ducks. I’ll find you.’ Little things like that continue to help the team’s chemistry develop, ”Simmons said on Friday. “And that just shows the guys are ready to play. Even if the guys don’t make the right pass or miss something, the guys want to make the right plays and things like that. So our relationship continues to develop. “
Analyzing their relationship has always been a struggle over the years. It’s no small feat to say that they’ve never been best friends, or that they’re not the perfect offensive combination with each other. These are young men with close circles who are carving out their professional paths. There have been dramatizations of the dynamics over the years, but it’s also true that Embiid has done anything but implore Simmons to shoot when asked about it during media availability, aware of the impact that this has on the whole team. Organizationally, the Sixers were willing to trade Simmons in an attempt to seek more immediate gains around Embiid. These facts will not be erased.
That didn’t stop them from making the most of this situation. Identifying the exact cause is beyond my ability, and it’s probably a combination of dozens of factors, whether you want to credit the improved roster around them, the influence of a new coaching staff, or the natural maturation of two youngsters. men. But they will tell you themselves that it is not the same old story.
“This year it’s been different. This year I can’t even explain it,” Embiid said. “I love playing with him and I’m sure he loves playing with me too, and it’s just that I don’t even know how to explain it. It was fun. Having someone like that I can be a playmaker, but I don’t have to be a playmaker because I have it. And my job is, you know, to play defense and score the ball, and make plays when they pass me and treble, and his job is to be huge in defense and also make offensive plays for our guys. It has been incredible this year. “
Do those good vibes last when they inevitably wore off in the middle of the season? It’s always the real test of a team’s character, no matter how much fun they seem during pre-game rap vocals and loud bench celebrations late in a win. They will be tested harder than they were until the end of January, playing teams with all their stars available and the motivation to slow down Embiid’s MVP campaign. It could happen as early as next week, with Embiid’s nemesis Marc Gasol and defending Lakers champion looming in a clash of the Titans on Wednesday.
For now, the Sixers are well placed. That’s more than you could say about them for most of last season, and a lot of the credit goes to their two young stars, an odd couple if there ever was one.
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