Boasting a 13-6 record, the Philadelphia 76ers look better than they’ve ever been.
With Tobias Harriss going off, Ben Simmons doing his thing, and Joel Embiid playing like an MVP, this team has convinced a lot of people that they will go far in the 2021 postseason.
Interestingly, league analyst and former NBA player Jay Williams is not one of those people.
Despite their hot start, Williams doubts Philly’s ability to reach the Finals, and says that it’s partly because of Joel Embiid.
“I just don’t trust Joel Embiid. He is having an incredible season and is in my MVP conversation. I just wonder about his durability when stuff gets tough. When it comes time to make a play.
I know that Doc Rivers is supposed to unlock Tobias Harris, and he did have a game-winning shot last night. But there’s something about this team, just feels like they are lacking that leadership and that success.
I feel like right now if I would bet my money I would be on the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals before the Philadelphia 76ers in that conversation.”
There is no hiding Embiid’s troubling injury history. After missing his first two seasons with a foot injury, Embiid has dealt with countless different issues, ranging from his back to his knees.
In the five seasons he has played, he has never missed less than 18 games.
Needless to say, his availability has always been a huge issue and, even when he’s playing well, there are questions about how long he’ll be able to stay healthy.
This season, the star big man is having the best year of his career, with averages of 27.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. But will he be able to sustain that over the next few months?
We’ll just have to wait and see.
