There's no way to frame Joel Embiid's absence as a positive, but if you squint hard enough at the situation, you can at least talk yourself into it being the kind of challenge that presents an opportunity.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced Embiid would undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left ring finger—you know, the one that went directionally rogue on Monday while the other four digits on his left hand abided by the rules that govern which way fingers are supposed to point.
He'll be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks and will likely miss more time than that. Everybody's different, but Reggie Miller mentioned on Thursday's broadcast of the Sixers game that his recovery from a similar injury took much longer.
The Sixers must devote the period of Embiid's absence, whatever its duration, to settling on styles and sets that work best for their remaining healthy stars. They need to learn by experimenting, and there's no small amount of urgency here. Philadelphia has to figure out ways to maximize all its talent by the postseason, and these next few weeks could be key to getting Ben Simmons and Al Horford more comfortable and confident by putting them in positions to succeed.
Head coach Brett Brown appeared gung-ho on a significant overhaul halfway through his comments to reporters before Thursday's 109-98 win over the Boston Celtics, but then curiously equivocated about the extent of his plans to change things up:
"I'm putting a blowtorch, a bullet, many bullets, into what we used to do. It doesn't fit, and so shame on me to try to make it fit. We don't have Joel Embiid. ... It doesn't mean we have to completely pivot out to wild stuff that could be reckless, I don't think so. I think it's taking the house we've lived in and moving the furniture around a little bit. That's what I intend to do."
Blowtorch. Bullets. But also some light rearranging? How does that work exactly?
Those comments pertained specifically to how the Sixers would alter their defensive schemes with Horford taking Embiid's place in the middle, an area that will absolutely require rejiggering.
Positive Residual @presidualWith Joel Embiid on the floor this season, 29% of the shots taken by Sixers opponents (including free throws) have been at the rim, where they've scored a below-average 1.27 points per attempt. With him off the floor, rim frequency and efficiency are 37% / 1.38 (above average). https://t.co/5ndEVbDQhG https://t.co/ykGNhyjdHn
But Brown should trust his first, more drastic instinct across the board.
This isn't just about finally forcing Ben Simmons to get over his fear of shooting threes and drawing contact in the lane, though it'd be nice if that was a byproduct of the weeks ahead.
It's about empowering Simmons as a screener and a roll man, something he's been doing a bit more of lately, but which must become a larger part of his game. If he's involved in actions nearer the basket, on a short roll for example, it's more difficult for defenses to ignore him, and it's easier for him to utilize his other gifts: size, vision and speed.
It's about upping the pace and allowing Simmons to run breaks with shooters around him.
It's about allowing Horford to leverage his many playmaking skills, rather than stationing him on the perimeter as a spacer.
Despite a stellar record (25-14) and a playoff spot that remains assured despite Embiid's shelving, the Sixers have been a disjointed, frustrated and frustrating outfit all season. Though the issues—lack of a pick-and-roll ball-handler, too many turnovers, not enough perimeter shooters—extend well beyond the forever clunky pairing of Embiid and Simmons, this is the time to get Simmons going while the conditions are good.
Yes, we're all aware of the fact that Simmons' numbers are generally better with Embiid on the floor.
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoIf Joel Embiid is out for an extended length of time with the torn ligament in his left hand, that could have a notable impact on Ben Simmons. Simmons' splits per 36 minutes this season all take a decrease when Embiid is not on the court. https://t.co/davh6RGklg
But every postgame writeup on a Philly loss focuses on the team's awkward star interplay. When they win, we discuss how the Sixers still manage to get the job done in ugly fashion, despite said awkward star interplay.
So let's get Simmons involved on the ball as a screener. Let's afford him a chance to post up with four teammates on the perimeter and no Embiid lurking nearby. Let's force him to up the aggression and pace and hope it emboldens him to take on a more central role going forward.
That role should also include more minutes at center whenever Horford isn't in the game. Simmons hadn't played the 5 at all this year until Thursday when he got a few possessions at the position. If the Celtics can trot Marcus Smart out at center in super-small looks, and if the dynastic Warriors could win the Finals with Draymond Green down low, surely the Sixers can tinker with Simmons-at-center looks.
As for Horford, this Embiid-less stretch should allow him to expand his game, build confidence and involve himself in more direct on-ball actions. It's no coincidence he logged six assists in the win over Boston, one off his season high and his highest total since Nov. 22.
ClutchPoints NBA @ClutchPointsNBAAl Horford hits Ben Simmons for the CRAFTY ALLEY-OPP FINISH 😯 https://t.co/T3zsCFfd6L
Horford is an adept passer from the elbows, and even if his foot speed appears diminished, he can still execute one-dribble blow-bys against most conventional centers.
Now is the time to find things that could help unclutter the offense for Embiid's return—or at least create confidence and good vibes in key players so they'll be more willing to tackle the same old problems of disjointed offense anew when Embiid comes back.
There's another way to view Embiid's absence: It removes an excuse.
With Embiid out, Simmons' reluctance to shoot can't be explained away as a decision to defer to his All-Star teammate. Horford can't express frustration at his limited role. Driving lanes should be open, and Philadelphia's offense should resemble more modern four- and five-out looks.
Years of data (and that jarring plus-minus stat from the 2019 playoff series against Toronto) show, unequivocally, that the Sixers are worse without Embiid. That's not going to change. But the Sixers can still use the upcoming weeks to get better in a more significant sense.
They have to make some important discoveries about themselves now. Otherwise, these will be wasted weeks, and Philadelphia will be right back to clumsily battling the very same issues of fit, chemistry and suboptimal tactics that were there when Embiid was healthy.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise indicated. Accurate through games played Thursday, Jan. 9.
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