Sixers Hornets Game Recap: Sometimes, Joel Embiid is All That Matters

I could sit here and talk about team defense, Kelly Oubre, Isaiah Joe's emergence, Shake Milton going under the radar or Furkan Korkmaz cooling off. But after a game like the Sixers 127-124 overtime win in Charlotte, I can't stop bringing myself back to one thought:

We hit the jackpot with Joel Embiid, in every way possible.

On the court, what else is there to be said. He canned 15 of his 20 shot attempts for a 43 point 15 rebound double double. Everything in the late game offense ran through him, and he bailed out every other sixer during multiple clutch trips down the court. There might not be another player in the NBA as vital to his offense as Embiid is to Philadelphia. Every time he even approached the ball every Hornet focused their attention on him. Maybe later in the season a clutch offense built around big man post ups isn't sustainable but with these undermanned sixers it's enough. In a game slowly devaluing the big man, Embiid is bucking that trend and creating mismatch nightmares night in and night out.

All of that was without mention of his world class defense that Doc Rivers' lineups fall apart without. Anytime he's on the court he just makes everything work. After having his 'co-stars' clip his wings for years, Embiid is finally flying as high as every Sixers fan knows he can. There just isn't anyone who does what he does when you look through NBA history. He's a 7 footer who moves like a young Kobe, with the touch of a mid range maestro like Kevin Durant.

And as we all found out this off-season, a passion and love for the city of Philadelphia is almost as important as your play on it's courts. Since the moment he got here Embiid has embraced the community and given back. He's a special person wherever he is, and on nights like these after a game like that, I hope I've given you a second to appreciate that.

Now at 13-11, the Sixers will stay in Charlotte for Wednesday's rematch.