By: Kylan Watson
Last night, the Philadelphia 76ers pulled off an upset victory over the Toronto Raptors. This was a big win for the Sixers as the Raptors are currently the 2nd best team in the East. The 76ers are 7-2 in the month of January. The 7-2 record is the best record in the NBA during the month of January. The 76ers owe their recent success to the emergence of Joel Embiid. Embiid has fully affected this team in the best way possible.
Embiid has been having a major effect on the 76ers since his debut in October; Joel Embiid currently averages 19.9 points per game, grabs 7.8 rebounds per game, and averages 2.9 blocks per game. Embiid has been the 76ers leader on and off the court. Just looking at the numbers most fans would not know that this is only Embiid’s rookie season, and that Embiid has not reached his full potential yet. Embiid also has brought excitement to Sixers basketball not seen since Allen Iverson was traded.
During this recent 7-2 streak, Embiid is averaging 23.0 points per game, he has grabbed 8.8 rebounds per game, and he is averaging 2.8 blocks per game. Embiid also is doing all this under minutes restrictions. The 76ers have kept Embiid on a 28 minutes per game restriction. Embiid still averages 23 points, not even playing in a full game.
Embiid is also the unquestioned leader of the 76ers, his teammates always looked to him to take the most important shots during the game, and he also has found a great counterpart in forward Ersan Ilyasova, who spaces the floor enough so Embiid has room to operate. Even when he is not playing Embiid keep his teammates laughing by telling jokes, and keeping his teammates spirits high. Embiid also pays for a bus so some 76ers fans can attend road games. This fan bus is called “Bus the Process,” after Embiid’s nickname “The Process”
Sixers’ fans have been hearing the phrase “Trust the Process,” for a long time, but Embiid is one of the first 76ers picks to pan out and it seems that he can take the 76ers very far. Right now the 76ers are currently six games out of the eighth spot in the East. Truly Embiid is having a big effect on the 76ers and if the 76ers play it right, he can become one of the greatest 76ers of all-time.
