Joel Embiid Credits Raptors for Making Him a Better Playmaker

Joel Embiid has been a dominant player for the Philadelphia 76ers ever since he debuted in the NBA. However, he was far from a finished product.

The big man's health left many skeptical about his ability to reach his ceiling as a player, but there was also a lot of criticism surrounding Embiid's ability to be a playmaker when he's not able to score himself.

Being that Embiid's one of the most dominant players in the game, he draws much attention from defenses. It's a rare occasion when Embiid gets the ball and goes one-on-one with a defender. Oftentimes, he'll not only see double-teams, but he will have three defenders flying over to him when he gets his hands on the ball.

In past years, Embiid has struggled to find the open man and pass out of double and triple teams. These days, though, the Sixers' superstar is much better at keeping his composure in those situations and making a play while under immense pressure.

Credit to Toronto

As the Sixers gear up for a first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, Embiid knows that the road doesn't get any easier for him. Considering the Raptors are one of the better defensive squads when playing against Embiid, the five-time All-Star credits the Raptors for helping him sharpen his skillset.

“The way that they defend me has never changed," said Embiid on Thursday. "They just play recklessly, sending three guys on me as soon as the ball is in the air, which made me better honestly over the years just playing against them and watching them. They definitely made me a better playmaker, so I enjoy playing with them. There are still a lot of ways I can attack them. It doesn’t have to be iso. I can just get good position on them and use my size and weight to try and take advantage of them. I think I know what I have to do. I just have to execute.”

Embiid knows that executing against Toronto is easier said than done. Still, he definitely feels more confident in his ability to make plays happen against their "reckless" defenders aiming to bring heavy pressure. 

In the past, Embiid might've attempted to counter Toronto's defense by trying to do everything himself, but this time around, he knows that he'll need to embrace help. And in order to do that, he simply needs to trust his guys.

“[The Raptors] just force me to be a playmaker," he said. "I think this year, I did a good job of just beating guys and just finding my teammates and making plays. Going into the series, I’ve played against them, and I kind of know how they play. And if that’s what they want to do, then I already know the adjustments and I just have to trust my teammates.”

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.