Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have not always fit together on the court for the Philadelphia 76ers, but something appears to have changed for the better this year.
The Sixers are atop the Eastern Conference standings with an 11-5 record, and Embiid and Simmons are both thriving. Simmons’ 8.2 assists per game would equal a career high, while Embiid has exploded out of the gate to the tune of 27.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Embiid talked about how amazing it’s been playing with Simmons this season after the team’s Friday night win over the Boston Celtics, via Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice:
“This year, it’s been different. This year I can’t even explain it. I love playing with him and I’m sure he loves playing with me, too, and it’s just, I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s been fun. Having someone like that, I can be a playmaker, but I don’t need to be a playmaker because I’ve got him.”
Simmons said Embiid regularly communicates with him about how the center can improve for the team.
“The other day he texted me and said, ‘I missed you too many times on your duck-ins. I’m going to find you.’ Little things like that continue to help the team chemistry grow,” Simmons said.
The relationship between Embiid and Simmons has been questioned in the past, and it likely played a part in trade rumors surrounding Simmons. Embiid made it clear that the pair had been working on their chemistry for this season. By the sound of it, it seems to be paying off, and that should be exciting for the Sixers.
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