Stephen A. says Philly should be ‘CONCERNED’ Embiid is 76ers’ ONLY SHOT at championship | First Take

Stephen A. says Philly should be ‘CONCERNED’ Embiid is 76ers’ ONLY SHOT at championship | First Take

So Joel embiid has played the best basketball of his career this season leading the league and scoring just over 35 points per game however embiid can miss just five more games in order to remain eligible for any major individual Awards which includes of course the MVP Stephen A How concerned should Philly be

About this they should be very very concerned uh because obviously Joel and B that’s your shot at winning a championship their first championship since 1983 we get all of that okay and we have to understand that Joel embid the reigning League MVP is ahead of everyone right now in terms of capturing

This season’s MVP as well I am very very concerned but I’m also highly sensitive when it comes to him because from an injury perspective he legitimately is injured this isn’t a load management issue that we’re talking about when it comes to Joel embiid this dude got

Drafted and play the first two years in the league because he was injured with his foot his knees have been bothering him his back back has bothered him he’s had a plethora of injuries throughout the years and it is absolutely positively legitimate because we’ve seen him walk into the postseason not near

100% and doggy just for you to to know this do you realize that when we’re talking about Joel embiid himself he has never played more than 68 games in a season in his entire career ever so you missed the first two years and every year you’ve played since you’ve missed a

Minimum of 14 to 15 games minimum and so when you look at it from that perspective this is a guy whose injury history is well documented and there’s nothing to be taken lightly or to or to you know just just throw shade on when it comes to him well listen uh Wilt

Upstairs is saying my god really who played 82 games every single year uh I’m not giving him a pass on Saturday against Denver I’m not giving him a pass then play the game that I’m not giving him pass for it he played two days later and he played the day before missed the

Portland game and that was a decision he made a five in the afternoon make that though he’s making $50 million a year Steve if he wants to play he can play the game well you can say he calls the shots he’s a big star if he wants to

Play the game he can play the game that’s a just Just In fairness to the players out there they make the argument that they are held out by the teams the teams make them sit down and none of us ever talk about ownership saying we’ve invested this money in you we’ve got

This medical staff and you are going to do what we tell you to do when it comes to your availability because of the investment that we make Michael Jordan played after he missed 60 games when he had the broken foot and Ry dorf didn’t want him to come and play and he played

Against the Celtics and scored 63 points that’s right if you’re a big enough star you say hey I don’t care what you say I’m playing this game tonight that’s all there was toing and he didn’t do that and that bothers me now you want to give him a little pass there because he’s

Always got an injury history yes of four years in a row he hasn’t played against Denver and Denver be fair four years this one’s legit yeah this one you’re right got hurt limed off to court and he’s a great kid and he’s had a great

Year now he’s not as good as jic but he’s a great kid he’s had a great year and he’s he’s not as good don’t don’t go there don’t you dare yic is the best player in the world don’t you dare with that that’s not fair don’t do that are

We doing this now or go ahead no no I’m just wondering are we I’d rather have a healthy embiid but go ahead go ahead are you kidding me i’ rather have a no way yic with his allaround ability you’re crazy if embiid is healthy I would want

Emid I’ll let cook if you want to do it otherwise makes everybody better St and and and embiid does not if embiid is healthy I said of course I’m going to go with yic because the yic is durability but if a healthy embiid versus a healthy yic I’m taking

Embiid but go ahead well let’s just start with the scenario of where they are in their careers has embiid ever played in in a conference final no he has not has yic won an NBA championship okay can joic dominate a game by scoring 10 points a game yes he can rebound and

Passing if MB doesn’t score can he dominate a game MB doesn’t have to consider that because no one can stop him so it’s never a scoring a 10-point issue it’s not even an issue it can’t stop him at all no one you got a game you got a series for your life and

You’re going to take a beat over yage I said to you must I said to you a healthy no of course I’m not going of course he’s healthy position I’m not trying to well again ID is never healthy so it’s a moot point but I’m talking about in

Terms of his skill set and his game and what he brings to the table healthy and I’m taking yic or any big man in basketball right now oh you’re crazy yic is unbelievable Y is one I got people think that yic might be the greatest Center of all time excuse me and there

Are people who believe that from a talent perspective it might be embiid you got to win a couple championships before you get that level get that label I totally agree but I can make the argument that embiid’s Health has impeded him from doing that no you can’t

Oh yes I can was he healthy last year in game excuse me he was on the court so I’m not going to sit up there and completely disagree with you but he wasn’t 100% he’s never 100% that’s the problem well he how about the how about the Toronto

Series against kawh lonon when they lost in six gam EXC excuse me he was unhealthy during that time too how about Miami two years ago when they lost in six was he healthy in that series openly conceding that embiid has not been to a Conference Finals nellon a championship

And I get it so what you going based on talent look at this brother’s skill set and when he bring to the table when he is on the court healthy that’s all I’m saying I would take yic because of jokic’s durability and reliability but from a skill perspective or from a skill

Perspective and be all day yic can handle the ball he’s a much better passer you must be are we going to start the day with this with this as remark out of you what happens to yic when he goes straight up against him well in be never play him in Denver Steve he

Doesn’t go to he passes the games in Denver he he sits out you literally just te yourself up with that did you just say when they go head to-head cuz they don’t go averaging 27 a game against yourself he doesn’t play in you know what all this stuff all of that stuff

Happens I get it I would say I would say mad dog that you handed him an L but you’re the same guy that already crowned Patrick Mahomes the go over Tom Brady so your opinion is suspect that looked pretty good on Sunday afternoon thank you very much Tommy might be watching

And he might be he of course is tight with Mr Brady I’m sure he is watching you you’re going to start you’re following in studio after six months and now you’re going to start the show with that I voted for joic as an MVP one he

Won the MVP I believe in the brother talk about even in the midst of last year I was saying to y’all I would take him beat He

Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo join Molly Qerim on First Take to discuss their concern for Joel Embiid after he suffered a knee injury late in the game vs. the Golden State Warriors. This injury could impact Embiid’s chance for any post-season awards if he misses five more games.

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