To Play Off Joel Embiid's Back, Players Must "Just Get the Hell Out of the Way"
In order to complement the dominant big man Joel Embiid, several Sixers teammates are struggling to find their footing alongside him. With his uncommon style of play and tendency to draw multiple defenders, it's a daunting task for even the most skilled players.
For Trendon Watford, a 6-foot-8 point forward who has played sporadically this season, the challenge is compounded by his unorthodox approach to the game. When asked about playing alongside Embiid, Watford acknowledged that he has limited time on the court with the dominant big man. "When I'm out there with him, I really just try to be another ball-handler to play pick-and-roll with him," he said.
Dominick Barlow, who has developed a strong rapport with Embiid in their 48 minutes of shared frontcourt duties this season, admits that the dynamic is often instinctive. "I think kind of instinctive," Barlow said. "[There are] definitely cues that we have, we talk about stuff like that at shootaround, but I think it's an instinct thing."
Jabari Walker, another two-way signee who has become a critical component of the frontcourt rotation, used the term "filling the gaps" to describe how he tries to accentuate Embiid's abilities when they share the floor. "Playing with Jo is different," Walker said. "He attracts so much attention. Honestly, you're just filling the gaps."
When asked about the key to playing effectively alongside Embiid, Barlow offered a candid response: "I've learned that sometimes, you've just got to get the hell out of the way." This sentiment was echoed by Walker, who noted that letting Embiid play freely is crucial when teams aren't doubling him.
Embiid himself has credited his teammates for doing all the things he can't do on every possession, from going after loose balls to crashing the offensive glass. However, even with this support, Embiid's unparalleled ability as a one-on-one scorer still holds the Sixers in high esteem.
As the team navigates its path towards title contention, the delicate balance between supporting and letting Embiid dominate will be crucial. Can his teammates find a way to fill the gaps and enable him to play freely, or will they need to adapt their game plans to accommodate his unique style? Only time will tell.
In order to complement the dominant big man Joel Embiid, several Sixers teammates are struggling to find their footing alongside him. With his uncommon style of play and tendency to draw multiple defenders, it's a daunting task for even the most skilled players.
For Trendon Watford, a 6-foot-8 point forward who has played sporadically this season, the challenge is compounded by his unorthodox approach to the game. When asked about playing alongside Embiid, Watford acknowledged that he has limited time on the court with the dominant big man. "When I'm out there with him, I really just try to be another ball-handler to play pick-and-roll with him," he said.
Dominick Barlow, who has developed a strong rapport with Embiid in their 48 minutes of shared frontcourt duties this season, admits that the dynamic is often instinctive. "I think kind of instinctive," Barlow said. "[There are] definitely cues that we have, we talk about stuff like that at shootaround, but I think it's an instinct thing."
Jabari Walker, another two-way signee who has become a critical component of the frontcourt rotation, used the term "filling the gaps" to describe how he tries to accentuate Embiid's abilities when they share the floor. "Playing with Jo is different," Walker said. "He attracts so much attention. Honestly, you're just filling the gaps."
When asked about the key to playing effectively alongside Embiid, Barlow offered a candid response: "I've learned that sometimes, you've just got to get the hell out of the way." This sentiment was echoed by Walker, who noted that letting Embiid play freely is crucial when teams aren't doubling him.
Embiid himself has credited his teammates for doing all the things he can't do on every possession, from going after loose balls to crashing the offensive glass. However, even with this support, Embiid's unparalleled ability as a one-on-one scorer still holds the Sixers in high esteem.
As the team navigates its path towards title contention, the delicate balance between supporting and letting Embiid dominate will be crucial. Can his teammates find a way to fill the gaps and enable him to play freely, or will they need to adapt their game plans to accommodate his unique style? Only time will tell.
it was like a dream team! now these guys gotta navigate around Embiid's crazy back 
can't believe he's still dominating the league. watford's unorthodox style is kinda cool tho, reminds me of that 1 time I saw Larry Bird play with some weird beard 
barlow's instinct thing sounds like it would work, but only if they let joel just have his space... or else they're stuck in a rut
and i feel like embiid is already doin his part by havin teams double him so watford/Barlow/Jabari can just chill on defense 
what do u think tho?
. And I love how Barlow said getting "out of the way" - like, it's not about trying to be the star, its about letting your teammate do what he does best 
. It's a team thing, you know? The Sixers have got some serious chemistry going on and I think they'll figure out a way to make it work 
. Plus, Embiid is just that good - he deserves all the attention he can get 
. It's like, you gotta respect his skill and just let him do his thing. For me, that means they need to be more aggressive on D and make it hard for other teams to score when Embiid's got the rock 
. If they can do that, I think he'll thrive and lead the team to some big wins 
. It's not about taking away from him, but helping the team succeed together 
Teams gotta learn to work around Joel's dominance 
, not try 2 be like him 
... but what's the point of being part of that equation when you feel like you're just along for the ride?
he's like a freight train on the court, no one can stop him 
and it's crazy how his teammates are trying to find ways to complement his game without getting in the way 
it's like they're playing this beautiful, intricate dance where everyone knows their role but also has to be flexible 
so yeah can they pull it off? only time will tell, but for now let's just enjoy the show 
I mean, can't these players just talk about what's going on in real-time instead of giving me an interview afterwards? Like, when Dom Barlow says it's an "instinct thing", that's not exactly reassuring for a fan like me who wants to know how the team is actually playing together. And don't even get me started on Jabari Walker's comment about "filling the gaps"... what does that even mean?! 
It just feels like they're deflecting from the real issue: can their teammates actually complement Embiid without sucking up all the attention? 
. I mean, it's not easy having someone who can draw defenders like a magnet 
. It's not about trying to be Jo, but more about being a good teammate and letting him do what he does best 
️. Maybe they just need to focus on getting out of the way when it counts 
"just get the hell out of the way" is like, so true 
, even if it means letting Jo be Jo 
- you gotta know when to step back and let him take the honey, but at the same time not get stung too badly