Philadelphia, getting rid of Embiid, is starting to get stronger?

Looking back over the past few years, whenever Embiid is injured, the hearts of Philadelphia fans will jump. This seems to have become a habit:

As long as Embiid is absent for too long, the 76ers will basically give up.

Played 19 games last season, and the team ended up with only 24 wins; the previous season, Embiid played 39 games, and the 76ers fell to seventh in the Eastern Conference, and were sent away by the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.

Judging from the team's trajectory in recent years, Philadelphia's fate basically depends on Embiid alone, but this year, the story begins to be different.

Embiid is limited by playing time this season, averaging only 17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Both statistics are career lows, and his 42.3% field goal percentage is not very good. According to the past script, this state is enough for the 76ers to fall to the bottom level in the Eastern Conference, and then enter the bad team early.

But looking at it now, Philadelphia has had its best start in recent years, and the team's offensive efficiency has even reached the top five levels in the league. This would have been impossible to imagine before, but it happened this year.

Comparing the data, since 2020, when Embiid is not on the court, the team has scored 7.4 fewer points per 100 offensive possessions. This number is enough to show Embiid's value to the team. But this season, the situation is completely reversed. When Embiid takes a break, the 76ers can increase their scoring by 1.5 points per 100 possessions.

Although the data improvement is not an exaggeration, it is already a considerable change for a team that has relied heavily on inside centers for a long time.

Borrowing from an interview with team coach Nurse:

"What we need most is a deeper bench depth. Regardless of whether Embiid plays or not, the team must be able to run and continue to play."

After the 76ers defeated the Hornets, a reporter asked Embiid:

"What do you think about the team operating so well even when you don't play? "

In the past, Embiid would probably have responded with a wry smile, but this time his answer seemed a little different:

"If the team can maintain its energy when I am not here, thank God. We have waited for this moment for too long."

The real change in Philadelphia begins with Edgecombe. As the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, no one expected that he would become the team's hope so quickly.

Display Edgecomb's statistics this season:

averaged 15.6 points, 6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game;

three field goal percentages were 40.7%+36.6%+73.7%;

did not In addition to the outstanding statistics, the most important thing is the tacit cooperation between him and Maxi; the latter even averaged 33.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. This pair of backcourt double guns propelled this team into the top fast break team in the league.

Even if someone comes off the field, Nurse still has Grimes as a sixth man candidate. His average output of 16.8 points per game cannot be ignored.

Revolving around Maxey + Edgecomb + Grimes, Philadelphia has formed the most stable backcourt firepower in the past decade; coupled with second-year guard McCain, if it were not for a torn meniscus last season, he would have been the best rookie. If they can return to their pre-injury level after returning this season, the 76ers' backcourt rotation will be considered a luxury level in the league.

Of course, in front of this back line, Embiid is still an important rotation for the 76ers; the defensive end is still top-notch, and internal containment can also allow Edgecombe, Grimes, Oubre and other off-ball offensive points to get more easy shots.

It’s just that compared to the past, Philadelphia this year has begun to have people who can share the pressure, instead of leaving all offense and defense to Embiid alone.

In the past, the 76ers were Embiid's team, but in the new season, the 76ers have begun to become a multi-point offensive team with "Embid + four killers".

Especially in organizing offense, Embiid can be liberated from the role of initiating high-pressure offenses and play more of an endpoint and containment role, allowing him to maintain his form in the regular season and wait for the playoffs to impact results.

And this is the best model that the Philadelphia 76ers have been waiting for.

Of course, we cannot ignore the fact:

Embiid's health is still a question mark that can determine the fate of the 76ers.

But the good news is that Philadelphia is no longer a team that "collapses as soon as Embiid is injured".

Although the Eastern Conference is still in chaos, Philadelphia finally saw a good starting point that it had not seen for a long time. This is a turning point for Philadelphia and their most fortunate change in recent years.