Can Embiid Save The Sixers Against The Celtics, Preventing A Failed Season?

Joel Embiid is The Process, and will need to play like the elite superstar he claims to be in order to save the Philadelphia 76ers from an utter failure of a 2019-2020 season.

With Ben Simmons out for the season with a knee injury and beloved head coach Brett Brown’s job likely on the line, a ton is at stake for Philly in its first round series against the Boston Celtics that begins Monday at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

Many of general manager Elton Brand’s moves will be called into question if the Sixers, the six seed in the Eastern Conference, sputters out in round one. First on this list is Brand’s move to sign Al Horford from Boston in free agency last summer for four years and $109 million. The 34-year-old is averaging just 12 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists per game on a career-low 45% shooting from the field. Would Brand have been better off trying to re-sign J.J. Redick, with the Sixers ranked 19th in made 3-pointers per game?

It’s likely that Jimmy Butler wanted to leave in free agency regardless, but Philadelphia could sure use someone like him rather than someone like Tobias Harris, who’s averaging a very good 20 points and seven rebounds per game. But is that worth the $32.7 million he’s being paid this year in the first season of a 5-year, $180 million pact?

With Simmons out, Philadelphia will need a lot more out of Shake Milton, Josh Richardson and Alec Burks on offense and rookie Matisse Thybulle on defense. Simmons would have been an ideal fit defensively against Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum. Will the Sixers struggle to defend Tatum and Jaylen Brown?

The only area in which Philadelphia has a clear advantage against Boston in this series is at center. But Embiid is currently banged up himself, with a hand injury that he should be able to play through. The Celtics are going to try to do whatever they can to prevent Embiid from beating them, throwing double-teams and engineering their defense to contain him, and he’s going to need to rise to that occasion. If he’s the top 10, elite player he claims to be, Embiid is going to have to be excellent every minute he’s on the floor for the Sixers to have a chance.

Though Embiid and Simmons never perfectly coexisted on the floor together, not having Simmons around puts all the pressure on the big man. This is what he said he’s wanted, to be the top player on a contending team. Now’s his chance to deliver. If Embiid fails to do so, Philly will likely have a new coach next season and management could be looking towards drastic roster changes.

The Sixers thought that this was the year they could truly make a title run. It’s now on Embiid to keep that dream alive and prevent Philly’s 2019-2020 season from being a complete disaster.