The Philadelphia 76ers returned home to the Wells Fargo Center after a tough Sunday night, where they fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road. They missed the big star man Joel Embiid in that game and they welcomed him back into training and the big boy came back in a resounding way.
Embiid had a fantastic night with 29 points and 16 rebounds as he threw the Sixers in the back when they needed him most in a 100-93 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Tobias Harris had one of his best games in a Sixers uniform with 26 points and 11 rebounds, Seth Curry had 17 and Ben Simmons scored 11, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
That said, here are the three observations:
Start slowly
The Sixers continue to get these slow starts, which is a bit surprising considering the talent they have around Simmons and Embiid. The team found themselves with a 41-28 drop before pitching on the high march and tied at 48 before a more sloppy game allowed Toronto to make an 8-0 run in a 45.1 lap. seconds to finish half. They then found themselves back in double digits in the third quarter before Embiid re-incorporated them.
Again, this could point to the fact that they haven’t played much together and that they are a new team with a new system. Finally, this will not be a valid excuse. They will have to figure it all out on the ground with this initial unit. Either they will move forward with this group or Rivers will have to make a change to give them a shake.
Embiid handles double teams
The only real positive that can be drawn from this game is how Embiid handled double teams. He was sharp with his passing, made the right decision when he fainted and was blunt when the time came. It’s a shame the Sixers have lost so many open glances at this one or that the work appears in the final score of the box.
The reason it was impressive is because it is Toronto. Of course, Marc Gasol is no longer there, but Aron Baynes also has a frustrating history for Embiid and Nick Nurse continues to coach that team. It is important that he broke against this particular team.
Hesitation for offense
The Sixers brought Curry to shoot the ball and provide space for his two stars. He does it just to be out there, but he would be doing so much better if he shot the open looks that were being given to him. At the time, this seemed to have an effect on everyone, as the Sixers set aside open glances. The hesitation to open their eyes probably points to them still winning what Doc Rivers wants from them at that end of the floor.
On the other hand, Curry is a 44.3% professional shooter from the depths. He’s the only one who can’t doubt when he catches the ball. Give him credit, he finished with a great triple at the end of the match, but there should be no doubt. You have to put the ball every time you catch it. That’s why the Sixers brought him here. You need to space the ground for the two stars, so you have to focus on this part of your game.