INDIANAPOLIS -- Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid has played with some elite playmakers in his career. He had Ben Simmons to start his career before he then moved on to James Harden, who led the league in assists the year Embiid won his MVP in 2023, and he now gets to play with LeBron James.
In four games with the Sixers, James is averaging 6.8 assists a night as he continues to make an impact on his new team. He and Embiid, specifically, have been able to make it work with James finding the big fella around the free-throw line area, otherwise known as the nail. That is where Embiid can face up, scan the floor, find teammates or be in a spot to score.
"I think where I made my life is in that middle of the floor," Embiid said after a win
over the Indiana Pacers. "That's what I'm good at. That's what I do. I feel like we haven't gone enough to that, but that's probably one thing that we got to add. Obviously, having James (Harden), you know, probably the best playmaker I've played with so far. Always finding me in those pocket passes, and those are my shots. So I feel like we haven't tapped enough into that. So, that start was a good start."
It takes a bit for everybody to have chemistry and cohesion. Obviously, Embiid is still a dominant scorer and is somebody who can make plays for others when the time calls for it. Having James around now to get him the ball in his spots is a big factor for Philadelphia's offensive success. Ever since Harden was traded, it's been a challenge for the Sixers to get him the ball in his comfort spots.
"Obviously, you got Bron that can make those plays," Embiid added. "Great playmaker. Tyrese (Maxey) is working. He's working on that. So, yeah, that's something we can use because I'm so efficient in that area. So, yeah, we just gotta keep on going and keep getting better."
One can never underestimate the importance of an entry pass. The fact that James is able to get the ball to Embiid in a spot that he feels comfortable with and is able to take advantage of whatever matchup he's faced with is a huge stepping point for Philadelphia. The perfect entry pass includes putting the ball in the right spots and finding ways to get the receiver into an immediate position to succeed so that player can go to work.
One has to wonder if James is the best entry passer Embiid has played with.
"Yeah," Embiid began to think and wonder. "I mean Nico (Batum) is up there. You got Nico. I think most of the time, entry passes are more about basketball IQ. Knowing your angles and how to throw the ball. So yeah, I mean those two are, you know, up there."
Embiid and James will look to continue growing their chemistry as they move forward in their journey to win a title in the 2026-27 season.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Joel Embiid gives credit to Sixers star LeBron James for playmaking
