The most striking thing about SixersThe intragroup clash on Saturday morning was not only about new talents on the court, he writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Joel Embiid eclipsed everything else by showing the mobility and explosiveness he lacked while battling knee issues the last two seasons, as Jones notes his lateral movement was much better defensively and he could defend to the perimeter.
“This week in training camp has been pretty good” Embiid said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of new guys. But I’ve played with them and against them most of my career, so I know how to play with them. … It’s been easy, to be honest. Everybody comes together. Everybody just plays. Practice was a little more intense and a little more fun.”
The Sixers believe they have moved into title contention after the addition LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this summer, but they’ll need a healthy version of Embiid to keep up with the top teams in the East. The 32-year-old center averaged 26.9 ppg in the 38 games he played last season, but limitations caused by his knee kept him from attacking the basket the way he once did. His performance in camp so far gives hope that he has overcome this problem.
“He was in every training session and every practice, so there were no restrictions.” president of basketball operations Mike Gansey said. “He’s obviously worked really hard this summer. He told me he’s been motivated. He wants to have a great year, and he’s showing it. Obviously, he looks a little lighter, but the skill level is still there. Some of the things he’s doing, seeing it in person, it’s incredible. So we’re excited for him, and he’s been good this first week.”
There are more from Philadelphia:
- James had some highlights in his first outing with the team, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer states in the story for subscribers only. James called the experience “a continuation of training camp” as the Sixers prepare for Monday night’s preseason game in New York. “I’m just trying to speed things up, both offensively and defensively.” he said. “Teams. Calls. Readings and everything they’ve had for a few years. I’m entering a new system and a whole new environment.”
- New starting lineup Embiid, James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe looked impressive during their joint stay on the site, trans Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. They created mismatches and scored easily in the first quarter of the scrimmage before the substitutions began to mix.
- Out of the stars, rookie guard Labron Filon the younger and free agent additions Ariel Hookporti both stood out during the skirmish, according to All Philly’s Kyle Neubeck. Philo made a pair of jumpers and broke a few defensive possessions, while Hookporti was competitive against Embiid on both ends of the floor.