Before the Sixers find the best way to pair their bigs, they are going to take bumps and bruises along the way.
Friday’s 100-89 loss to the Lakers was another example of the struggles they are encountering when Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor start together. The team is in a development phase, wherein they are suffering some hits while trying to break through with new rotations.
“Never from the start to the finish did you feel like you were in any type of rhythm or flow,” Brett Brown said after the game. “It doesn't really surprise me. It saddens me, but it doesn't surprise me.”
Round two of starting Embiid and Okafor continued to be a work in progress. Instead of getting out and dominating with these bigs, the Sixers fell into a 13-0 deficit two minutes into the game. Brown turned to a traditional power forward-center tandem later in the game as the Sixers attempted a comeback.
“We got jumped early,” Okafor said. “We ended up not losing by that many points, but it felt like we got our [butts] kicked. … Not tonight, I don’t think we really improved (the pairing with Embiid). It was just a bad night.”
Okafor scored 14 points with eight rebounds. Embiid bounced back from his season-low scoring performance Wednesday with 15 points and four rebounds.
Philadelphia 76ers
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers and their rivals in the NBA from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Embiid focused more on what the Lakers did at the basket, though. The Lakers’ biggest lead was 22 points, and they outscored the Sixers 27 to 8 on the fast break. He called for a better defensive effort from his teammates. Embiid himself didn’t have a rebound until the third quarter.
“We’ve got a lot to work on to be able to play together,” Embiid said. “I thought we had a bad defensive game. I’m the type of guy, if I play defense, I want everybody around me to do the same. I think the whole team needs to do a better job, especially when the coach wants to play Jah and I at the same time.”
Experimenting with starting lineups ideally would have been done in training camp. The Sixers didn’t have that opportunity with their bigs because of the early injuries to Okafor and Nerlens Noel, along with the minute restrictions on Embiid. Now they are learning through live game action and practices fit into their crammed schedule.
“We’ve just got to go out there and play,” Robert Covington said. “We have to be in that situation in order for us figure out how to do it. … Playing different lineups, going big, it’s just a matter of time before we get it all together.”
The Sixers are moving forward with the understanding they will come across these obstacles.
"It’s hard. Sometimes I’m not a patient guy," Embiid said. "Like I’ve said before, I’m just going to do whatever they want me to do. But obviously the goal over here is to win games. Whatever they think they can do to game plan so we can go win games, that’s what we’re going to do."
