The Sixers hit a big blow this week by beating the Lakers after a match worthy of the NBA Finals. This message sent to the rest of the league makes Philly appear as a contender. Yet a former player does not believe in this team. The reason ? Joel Embiid …
The arrival of Doc Rivers seems to have changed a lot of things in Philadelphia. With Danny Green, Dwight Howard and especially Seth Curry, the Sixers have a much more balanced and menacing team behind the three-point line. Improvements that allow a certain Joel Embiid to shine.
The Cameroonian pivot is currently having the best season of his career, and with 27 points and 11 rebounds per game, he is in the lead in the MVP projections. A domination that the fans hope will last, and which must continue in the playoffs. This is in any case not the opinion of Jay Williams, consultant on ESPN and former draft top pick, who did not hide his doubts about the Process’s ability to go to the end:
I don’t believe in Joel Embiid. He’s been having an amazing season and he’s in my MVP race. I’m just worried about its durability when the going gets tough. When you have to be a clutch. I know Doc Rivers is supposed to unlock the potential of Tobias Harris, and he put the winning shot against the Lakers. But there is something that bothers me with this team.
I think they don’t have the leadership and the mentality to win. If I had to put money on a team in the East to go to the NBA Finals, I’d bet on the Bucks, or the Nets before I think about the 76ers.
Hopefully for Philly fans that the Cameroonian will be stung by this message and want to prove his worth. The big man often struggled physically during his first seasons in the league. His mentality has also been questioned on several occasions … Maybe with a new coach and a favorable context, these Sixers will finally be able to go to the end?
The doubts are not yet dispelled concerning Joel Embiid’s ability to lead a team to the title. Until proven otherwise, the latter failed to find the solution in the high-stake matches during the postseason. It is up to him to continue to silence his detractors in order to change the situation!
