taikibansei wrote:Bob8 wrote:taikibansei wrote:
I find these posts especially ironic given that Embiid has also been injured/resting more than 1/3 of this season. Indeed, Embiid had just returned from his own break...for the month of March. Was Embiid ducking all those centers then?
Bigs who are active on both ends of the court--like Embiid and AD and KP (and the now-injured Wiseman), etc.--are almost always injury-prone. The human body is just not meant to be that big and that active for so long, and time management is really the only way to deal with this. However, as we saw yesterday, having that big be healthy for a key game can be devastating...to the opposing team.
The Mavs can and do compete with the best when both Luka and KP play. What they need are consistent third and fourth options for when KP is out and/or when Luka needs a rest. Right now, the Mavs win whenever Brunson, Hardaway, DFS, etc. have a good game too. The problem is that you can't count on these latter players to have good (or even okay) games. In my opinion, they either need to become more dependable, or they need to be replaced.
Embiid is back 10 days and is already playing back2backs, KP is back 3 months and has played 1 back2back in that time. And I have never seen KP being that dominant that Embiid was yesterday. No problem for waiting for a player, who is dominant from the first second in the court after injury.
I understand injuries happens, but what's the point having max. player, who cannot normally play even 3 months after return? You cannot lose 10 back2backs just because your star is resting. He has played 17 matches in 2 months, what kind of rest he needs?
Thanks for the chuckle!
1) Embiid and KP have played in basically the same amount of games this season. (36-34)
2) Over his career, Embiid has been a poster child for managed minutes, playing in less than 20% of the games in his 7-year career. Heck, KP looks like an iron man compared to Embiid--having played in thirty more games total (in just 6 years).
3) You've never seen KP being that dominant?--again, hilarious stuff.
4) Finally, yes, Embiid (when he plays) is the better player. Still, fun fact: Between March 11 and April 1, the 76ers played 11 games without Embiid...and won eight (8) of them for a .727 winning percentage.The Mavs without KP are at .500 for the season.....
Indeed, that final comment underlines the main point of my initial post to this thread--the problem isn't Luka or KP, it's that you don't have any consistency from your 3rd, 4th and 5th options. Good teams still win over the short term without their best players; the Mavs aren't there yet, and the problem is the rest of that roster.
Embiid more or less didn't play first 3 seasons, that's why you have numbers like that.
I'm not talking about stats, but total domination, Embiid could have easily beat Mavs alone. He played only 25 minutes for 37 points and 15 FTs. He could have scored 50+ easily, if it was needed. Mavs couldn't do anything against him.
One of the reasons for not having better roster is that they're invested 3 first round picks in Luka and KP. So expectations for them should be high. And to meet expectations you first should play, especially if you're not injured. I believe Luka need rest desperately too. Why we're not resting both? Why should Luka risk his health?
Philly might have option to play without Embiid, Mavs cannot with that roster, if they want something more than 7th place.
