Joel Embiid dumbfounded by 'crazy' end of streak that started in 2018
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The Philadelphia 76ers’ miserable season continued in a loss to the Miami Heat. Although Joel Embiid fought through an illness to play, the Sixers lost 106-89, recording their second straight game failing to crack 90 points.
Embiid scored just 11 points on 5-11 shooting from the field in 31 minutes, though he did also have five assists. The most notable part of his performance was what he didn't do, something he has become known for among NBA fans. He didn't take a single foul shot.
"I took zero free throws, so that must be a first," Embiid told reporters in Miami. "That’s actually crazy."
The only other time Embiid didn't attempt a free throw in a game (regular season or playoffs) was in February of 2018 — and he played just 24 minutes in that one. It has been over five years since Embiid, one of the most prolific foul-line scorers in the NBA, didn't take to the charity stripe at all.
If Joel Embiid does not return to this game, it will be his first game without a single free throw attempt since February 9, 2018.
That was 2,474 days ago.
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 19, 2024
76ers fall to 2-11 on the season after brutal loss to Heat
The Heat double-teamed Joel Embiid often, leading to passes to teammates back out to the perimeter. The 76ers got some good shots out of those looks and Embiid, being sick and still trying to get his conditioning back, wasn’t able to make plays at the rim or take defenders off the dribble. It makes sense that he didn't draw fouls in this game and it certainly held Philly back.
Embiid told reporters that the Heat "just kept just driving the ball. I think what we gotta get better at is just taking them. I thought at times we passed up a lot of wide-open shots to drive into traffic, and that’s what causes turnovers. I think we just need to keep it simple. But that’s what they did. They just kept driving over and over and over and [driving and kicking] and I feel like we needed more of that."
The Sixers could have also used second-chance points in this one, as they put up a goose egg in that stat, too. They only collected two offensive rebounds. They still have not won a game with Embiid in the lineup this season, wasting the emergence of rookie guard Jared McCain and owning one of the worst records in the entire NBA.
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