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Joel Embiid admits he's struggling to adjust to new role with 76ers: 'I need to touch the ball'
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- Joel Embiid admits he's struggling to adjust to new role with 76ers: 'I need to touch the ball'
Joel Embiid admits he's struggling to adjust to new role with 76ers: 'I need to touch the ball' originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Joel Embiid is dealing with more than playing with a right foot plantar fascia injury.
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The 2023 MVP is adjusting to no longer being the focal point on the 76ers ' offense.
"For me, it's a little bit of an adjustment," Embiid said following Monday's 127-106 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
"I'm such a rhythm guy," he added. "And over the years, obviously, I've had a lot of opportunities to just touch the ball almost every other possession. And [now] 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 kind of like an adjustment where I'm not used to catch-and-shoot as much."
The 7-foot-2 center is used to creating for himself and others.
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"So I'm working on that," he said of the adjustments.
Embiid came into this season with a career average of 27.6 points while attempting 18.2 shots per game. The 11th-year veteran attempted 9.9 free throws and led the league in scoring during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Through six games this season, Embiid is averaging career lows of 18.5 points and 6.7 free throw attempts. His 15.2 shot attempts are the second lowest of his career.
The seven-time All-Star's decreased usage rate is part of the sacrifices that come with the offseason additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, both former NBA Finals MVPs. On most nights, he's been the third option behind Tyrese Maxey (20.4 shots per game) and Brown (16.6). However, James (13.7) and VJ Edgecombe (11.3) aren't far behind Embiid in shot attempts.
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"My mindset is really on whenever I have the ball: make plays," Embiid said. "Make the game easy for all these guys. Making the right play over and over, setting screens, getTyrese as open as possible, Bron, all these guys. … That's really been what the focus is on.
"And then, on the other side also, working on myself. How can I get back to the level of dominance, but without having as [many] touches as I'm used to?"
In addition to fewer shot attempts, Embiid is shooting career lows from the field (.407) and on three-pointers (.130).
He should get more opportunities to raise his level of domination when healthier.
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Because of a minutes restriction, Embiid sat out the fourth quarter of Monday's victory. As a result, he finished with 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting along with eight rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes, 40 seconds against the Bulls.
"Like I said, I'm a rhythm guy," Embiid said. "I need to feel the ball. I need to touch the ball. And when you don't, it's a little different. But you know, it's a fun process, and I'm enjoying it. Trying to find a way to, you know, get over the hump.
"And then when I feel like once I [did] and I figure it out and I can really be dominant, yeah, the sky's the limit."
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