Ferry Avenue wrote:76ciology wrote:
Ive talked about Embiid being OK on offense.
Defensively, there’s just no excuse.
Again you have Embiid capable of only a "flash in the pan" showing in the playoffs. He just can't sustain that level of intensity across this number of games.
When Embiid has his inevitable "flat" games in the regular season they aren't as costly, because a sizeable percentage of the time the team will be facing a weak opponent or an opponent who for whatever reason is likewise flat, with a far lower-stakes regular season game at hand.
In the high-stakes setting of the playoffs however, his inevitable stretches of "flat" play make the team pay dearly, as it's facing a good opponent whose intensity is ratcheted up.
This is why Embiid needs a Jimmy Butler, and why he's now exhorting James Harden to "be more aggressive." He knows he's incapable of playing first fiddle on this team. He can't spearhead this team himself throughout the playoffs -- he can't sustain his own intensity across that number of high-intensity games.
Then Embiid has to play with another big.
Because you have enough sample size that Embiid’s defense suffers because of what is required for him on offense.
Whereas there’s no substitute to defense if your center is struggling on defense, other than letting him play with another big.
Even our offense is struggling, without another tall finisher at the paint that can punish the defense if they trap jojo.
