The NBA playoffs start today, and I’m loving it!
Before the start of the season, many people picked the Philadelphia 76ers to come out of the East. Their addition of Al Horford to make their lineup even bigger, seemed to sway a lot of people’s opinions about them. They figured that the addition of Josh Richardson, along with Horford, could help to compensate for the loss of Jimmy Butler. Consecutive trips to the second round of the playoffs were meant to only whet the appetite of Sixers’ fans.
Unfortunately, Ben Simmons suffered a knee injury requiring surgery. There is no timetable for his return. He is their best defender, and the primary defensive cog to be used against the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Sixers’ first round opponent.
All the debates about whether or not Embiid and Simmons could thrive together in the playoffs, will have to be put aside for now. Embiid will be the #1 option for the Sixers. It’s his team now.
There is, however, one debate left to be resolved:
That’s two Hall of Famers, two of the greatest players of all time, calling you out for your lack of toughness and effort.
Well, Embiid has the chance to prove everyone wrong, to shut everyone up. There’s no more Ben Simmons to clog up the paint. There’s no more Ben Simmons for the defense to ignore. There’s going to be another shooter on the court to provide more spacing for Embiid in the paint. There aren’t too many defensive options for the Celtics who are truly capable of stopping a fully engaged Embiid. And that’s what the Sixers and their fans need right now, a fully engaged Embiid.
No one’s questioning his talent. No one’s questioning his abilities. But a lot of people, including Shaq and Barkley, are questioning his heart and his desire to dominate.
Joel Embiid has his chance to eliminate those questions. It’s his time.
It’s your time, Joel Embiid
mruvula 