“How Can I Get Back to That Level of Dominance?”: Embiid Admits Struggle Amid Crowded Sixers Offense

Joel Embiid grinned and said "I quit" on three-pointers after missing all three of his long-range looks in a road win over the Pacers. But the former MVP now describes a problem much bigger than his cold shooting. Embiid says the Sixers' star-packed offense has left him chasing the rhythm that powered him for years, and he admits he has not found a way back yet.

Embiid is 3-for-21 from beyond the arc through his first five games this season. The numbers only hint at what he is feeling. Asked about adjusting to a lineup where the ball is shared among several stars, the big man pointed to the touches he is no longer getting.

"I'm such a rhythm guy," Embiid said. "And over the years, obviously, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to just touch the ball almost every other possession. And sometimes you can just go four or five possessions in a row where you don’t touch the ball. So that’s where it’s like an adjustment where I’m not used to catch-and-shoot as much. I’m used to more creating for myself, so I’m working on that."

The adjustment left him with an open question about his own game.

"How can I get back to that level of dominance, but without having as much touches as I’m used to?" Embiid said. "That’s a work in progress. And that’s where really the struggle has been because, like I said, I’m a rhythm guy. Like, I need to feel the ball. I need to touch the ball and when you don’t, it’s a little different."

That admission cuts against the optimism he showed before the season. He argued that the new roster would make every player more efficient, since the attention on the stars would keep the floor open.

Spacing is exactly what the Sixers want from him now. Head coach Nick Nurse said a big who can pop out to the three-point line is hard to guard and opens driving lanes for his teammates. Nurse also believes Embiid will shoot a high percentage once he consistently takes four or five threes a game.

The physical side makes the rhythm harder to find. Embiid acknowledged that he is playing through discomfort.

"It’s been going on like that for the last few," Embiid said. "So yeah, it’s painful. Just got to manage it and when it flares up pretty bad, got to take a step back. But yeah, we’ve been able to manage it, but it has its ups and downs."

The Sixers have managed his workload carefully. Embiid rested the night after the win over the Knicks, and Dean Wade closed the comeback victory in Charlotte at center. Rest helps his body, but it also means fewer chances to build the touch he says he needs. One recent game suggested the Sixers may already have a way to help.

In that win over the Pacers, Embiid had the most efficient scoring night of his season. LeBron James looked for him early and often, and the passes set the tone for Embiid’s offense. Embiid said the middle of the floor is where he built his career, and he feels the Sixers have not gone there enough yet. Of the work in that area, he said, “That’s what I’m good at.”

Embiid has rarely had a reliable entry passer in recent years, and the Sixers have often struggled to get him the ball without a fight for position. Nurse says James does not need Embiid to be wide open, because he can find a pass through a sliver of a lane.

That matters against defenses that front Embiid on the block. Maxey, who is 6-foot-3, said James can see over the defense to make passes he cannot. A pocket pass or a high-low feed gets Embiid the ball without a long, physical struggle.

Embiid says he is not discouraged by the process. "It’s a fun process, and I’m enjoying it," he said. "Trying to find ways to get over the hump. And then when I feel like once I do, and I figure it out and I can really be dominant. The sky’s the limit for us."

For now, the Sixers’ best is yet to come. Embiid is still looking for the answer to his own question, but the Pacers game showed what it might look like: fewer touches, better ones, and a big man who is dominant again without needing the ball every trip.