PHILADELPHIA–The Brooklyn Nets know they don’t have anybody to defend Joel Embiid one-on-one. So they have to resort to sending waves and waves of defenders at him in order to try and throw him off on the offensive end of the floor.
In Saturday’s Game 1 win over the Nets, Embiid only had 26 points as Brooklyn limited him to just 15 shots all game, but his attacking of double teams with the pass was impressive. He only had three assists, but his pass that led to the pass which then led to an open shot for a teammate was the key to Philadelphia’s offensive success.
“Just keeping it simple,” Embiid explained. “Every single possession, they just kept doubling. It didn’t matter where I was. Half court, 3-point line, post. I gotta trust in my team. Got to make the simple plays and we took advantage of their scheme.”
Trust is the keyword. In the past, Embiid seemed to not trust his teammates as much as he would try and attack the double teams with his scoring rather than his passing. This time around, it’s different.
“Probably trust,” coach Doc Rivers added of Embiid. “Trust in his teammates. We work on it. Put him in the elbow where he can see it and he works on so probably all those together and majority. I mean, all those things are, probably, all those things are the reason, but it’s good for him to see how much he can do with a pass to help his teammates. That’s a good thing for our team.”
The double teams the Nets sent toward Embiid, and even James Harden, were frenetic. They were looking to make the other guys beat them and the others were able to step up. Tobias Harris had 21 points, Tyrese Maxey had 13, and Philadelphia received a lot of contributions from the bench unit.
“They just doubled,” Embiid said of the Nets. “They were running all over the place. Our game plan was to, especially for me, to just invite the double team and make plays for my teammates. Same thing for James anytime he was doubled and anytime there was dribble penetration, he made the right play every single time.”
The Nets are going to keep doubling. As the playoffs advance, the doubles will come from different areas on the floor to try and stop Embiid and the Sixers. It will be on the big fella to continue to grow in that area and help Philadelphia advance toward the ultimate goal of winning a title.
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Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire