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One Joel Embiid Worry Stands Above the Rest So Far for 76ers

Embiid’s career-worst 10.7% shooting from three-point range has been detrimental to Philadelphia’s offense thus far, but it’s part of inevitable growing pains.
Jacob Moreno|
Joel Embiid’s career-worst 10.7% three-point shooting has been concerning to start this season.
Joel Embiid’s career-worst 10.7% three-point shooting has been concerning to start this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Philadelphia 76ers

When the 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, it didn’t take a basketball savant to know Philadelphia’s stars would have to adapt. James is shouldering more playmaking, Brown is finding his footing without being the go-to scorer, Tyrese Maxey is playing off the ball more, and VJ Edgecombe is becoming a turbo-charged 3-and-D wing.

More or less, those four have succeeded in their respective roles, so where does that leave Joel Embiid?

Embiid has been tasked with providing more rim protection, rebounding, and floor spacing. The 2022-23 Most Valuable Player is executing the first two items at a surprisingly effective rate, but his three-point shot has left much to be desired. For the 76ers’ offense to realize its full potential, Embiid must improve from beyond the arc.

“I believe in myself, but when you’re in these moments and nothing is going in, whether it’s a three, a mid-range, everything—layups,” Embiid told reporters after Philadelphia’s 119-95 loss to the Cavaliers on November 6 (h/t ESPN's Dave McMenamin). “It’s hard not to look at yourself and be down.”

What is going on?

He is shooting a career-worst 10.7% from the perimeter this season on 3.5 attempts—his fewest since 2022-23. If you’ve watched the 76ers this year, you’re probably surprised by Embiid’s lack of attempts from deep. But your instincts wouldn’t be deceiving you; he’s attempting catch-and-shoot trifectas at a career-high 21.2% frequency, according to NBA.com.

The reason is simple: Philadelphia’s abundance of stars. The 76ers no longer need Embiid to manufacture offense in the mid-range every possession. While the seven-time All-Star can still do that, he's scaled down into more of a play-finisher—meaning more pick-and-pops.

Embiid has a plethora of teammates to run two-man actions with, mainly Maxey and James. Those players routinely draw extra defenders at the rim, creating many open top-of-the-key triples for Embiid. The only issue is that he’s failed to hit them. The same can be said when Philadelphia is in transition, and Embiid misses an in-motion trail 3-pointer.

The 76ers’ offensive strengths are their scoring variety and transition attack, evidenced by ranking  top-12 league-wide in pace and boasting five double-digit scorers. That said, Embiid will continue to receive these perimeter looks. Once he knocks them down, Philadelphia’s offense will become more cohesive.

Nick Nurse’s team has collectively struggled from deep this season, as the 76ers rank 20th in the NBA in three-point percentage at 33.3%. Teams are realizing this and are now packing the paint, which derailed Philadelphia’s half-court offense against Cleveland. 

Why is this happening?

There’s no clear explanation for Embiid’s 3-point woes; he’s just missing shots. Are there times when he settles for triples? Sure, but every volume scorer gets that critique at some point. The 76ers’ early success has made people forget they’re only 10 games into the season. Embiid is allowed to endure growing pains as he adjusts to his new offensive role.

If there’s one other factor we can point to, it’s Embiid's lingering plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which typically causes a stabbing sensation. That sharp pain may lead to discomfort when Embiid lifts off to shoot. In the two games Embiid missed this season, the reason was plantar fasciitis injury management.

Coincidentally, he’s listed as probable for the 76ers’ (8-2) matinee game against the Bulls (1-7) at 3:30 p.m. ET. If Embiid plays, this could be the game when he snaps out of his three-point shooting slump.

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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