The final stat line for Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid will read 28 points and 10 rebounds. However, it was a struggle as he shot just 8-for-19 from the floor and had to score from the free-throw line often as the Sixers fell to the Phoenix Suns 125-105.
Embiid still found a way to be impactful, but it wasn’t his best night. The Suns sent waves of defenders at him and he was forced into taking some tougher shots than what he’s used to. Phoenix big man Bismack Biyombo used his length and athleticism to bother him all night long and the big fella struggled along the way.
“I think just trusting the game plan that the coaches gave us,” Biyombo told reporters. “Usually to watch some of the clips of the previous games they had. Obviously, Joel is a great player. I think we tried to throw him different looks the whole night. Obviously, I had to guard him. When you play a player like that, it is always a team effort.”
Biyombo did have help. As he mentioned, it is a team effort and they bothered Embiid a bit in their win. Jock Landale, Torrey Craig, and others were nuisances in order to give him trouble.
“Thank God everything kind of worked out for us,” Biyombo added. “We were really focused on helping each other out. I think everyone did a good job. Our second unit was able to sustain us, TJ Warren played extremely great, Terrence Ross played extremely great, Jock, Cameron Payne. Just play through each other and try to make sure we can maintain that energy.”
Now, as far as Embiid is concerned, he has been dealing with calf tightness and the Sixers have had to play a lot of games on the road with a lot of travel in a short amount of time. That could have played a factor on Saturday.
“We’ve been on the road since the All-Star break,” said Embiid. “A lot of road games. A lot of guys have been in and out of the lineup, so we just have to keep finding ways to win every single night. It has been tough, but that is where you have to find ways to win.”
The Sixers will wrap up a four-game road trip and a stretch of seven of eight games on the road on Monday when they face the Denver Nuggets.
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Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire