https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401584883
The Lakers have waved the white flag with 8 minutes to go in the 4th so it looks like Joel Embiid is also done for the night. He finished with 30 pts on 9-15 shooting (2-3 from 3, 10-12 FTs), 11 rebs, 11 asts, 1 stl and 1 blk in just 3 quarters against the Lakers.
Doc Rivers is a basketball terrorist
It’s partially coaching but I think Embiid has also just improved a lot as a passer and is making better reads this season
He’s one of those guys who adds something to his game every couple of seasons and I’m sure he knew this offseason that passing out of doubles/defensive “swarms” was his biggest area he can work on
embiid adds something to his game every season it’s crazy. came in with defense & post game, added the midrange shooting, then the 3s, then the handles, and now the passing.
Doesn’t get talked about enough how he’s 7’ 280 and plays like a wing 75% of the game.
Bro has no holes in his game. His playmaking might be the missing link for him to go ham in the playoffs.
It’s also roster construction. They finally added some wings (Batum, RoCo, Oubre) who can move off ball and shoot around Embiid. Makes his life easier.
I think Embiid always had the passing it’s just that rivers ran the worst offenses imaginable. Literally the Tyron Lue meme “give LeBron ball” but with Embiid.
I swore when watching Embiid under that offense he’d get doubled and yet still have no options to pass too.
It cracks me up that Rivers used the excuse that Joel needed to know where the shooters are to pass to as the reason he had no off ball action at all.
Now the offense moves and embiids assists are exploding.
Rivers is lazy, incompetent and stupid. I’m so fricking glad he’s finally gone.
Nurse is putting him at the top of the key and letting him read the floor from there… while also incorporating motion off the ball. It’s a completely different environment for Joel.
“Doc Rivers is a basketball terrorist” has to be slipped on an ESPN segment at some point. They already let loose with the R-word. And the kicker would be mainstream America losing their minds at the former while “developmentally disabled” goes unnoticed.
He should’ve been gone after the clips tbh. Dude just wasn’t a good coach for this era
Joel is an amazing playmaker after all and Doc really did that shitty your turn my turn offense lol