Sixers’ Brett Brown wants Joel Embiid to: ‘Just knock people over’
As of Wednesday, the Sixers were 8-11 when Embiid attempted four or more three-pointers a game. They were 17-3 when he took three or fewer.
Joel Embiid is one the NBA’s most imposing players at 7-foot-2 and more than 280 pounds.
Yet the 76er has a knack for stepping out and attempting three-pointers.
The three-time All-Star center is shooting 34.0% from beyond the arch after Thursday’s 112-104 overtime home victory against the Brooklyn Nets.
The team’s success has varied depending on how many attempts he takes.
The Sixers (35-21) are 8-11 when Embiid attempts four or more three-pointers in a game. They are 18-3 when he takes three or fewer. That includes his making his lone three-point attempt while finishing with 39 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and two blocks against the Nets (25-29).
“The separation really isn’t that dramatic to me,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said.
The coach doesn’t have a problem with Embiid’s shooting three-pointers when Ben Simmons is racing down the court, and the big man is trailing in the rhythm and flow of the game.
“I think that’s a good shot for him,” Brown said.
If Embiid is in the middle of a possession, Brown wants him rolling to the basket. He realizes that there will be times when Embiid shies away from that because the paint is clogged up.
“But I want him in this final third [of the season], just knock people over,” Brown said. “You’re rolling. That’s your part of the world in half-court offense."
The coach is fine with Embiid’s doing the pick-and-pop when his defender is all the way back. He’s also fine with his draining threes when Simmons throws the ball back on fast breaks.
Nine-man rotation
Brown wants the Sixers to reduce their rotation to nine players once the postseason starts. That’s one fewer than their normal regular-season rotation.
Last season, the coach called the battle of the final spot in the rotation a “tryout.” He doesn’t want to use that term this season. But there is definitely a competition for that spot.
Right now, the Sixers starters appear to be Glenn Robinson III, Tobias Harris, Embiid, Josh Richardson, and Simmons. Al Horford, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, and Alec Burks are the obvious reserves at this time.
Mike Scott could get minutes over one of the other reserves, according to the situation.
“I have an idea of what I think it could be based on a bunch of different things,” Brown said of the rotation. “But it’s still going to be over the next period of time where it’s competitive with some of those uncertain-type positions.”