Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid is still struggling to find his footing in the NBA. This statistical regression may be the last straw for a team that has had trouble staying afloat this season, as it’s only good enough for 40 wins and a tenth seed so far.
The “joel embiid 3 point percentage” is a statistical regression that has been worrisome for 76ers fans. The regression has seen Joel Embiid’s shooting percentage drop from 46% to 33%.
Since his debut in 2016, Joel Embiid has been one of the finest shooting centers in the NBA. For a big guy, the 7-footer possesses tremendous touch and a smooth jump jumper, but he’s taken a step back this season in that regard.
For whatever reason, Embiid is enjoying his worst mid-range shooting season as a pro, adding to the 76ers’ lengthy list of problems.
Joel Embiid has always been a great shooter from the mid-range.
Few NBA centers can consistently challenge a defense like Embiid. He can face up from 20 feet out from the hoop just as easily as he can back down a defender in the paint. Because Embiid has always been a great mid-range shooter for a big player, this is the case.
Embiid has made more than 42 percent of his shots from 16-22 feet in three of his first five NBA seasons. Incredibly, in all three seasons, the center shot a higher percentage from that range than he did from 3-10 feet. Last year, he shot 50.4 percent from the same range, his highest record of his career.
Embiid was only expected to improve his jumper this season after having his greatest mid-range shooting year of his career. Instead, he’s gone backwards.
Embiid is experiencing his worst season as a pro when it comes to mid-range shooting.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid watches the game against the Orlando Magic | Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Embiid’s shooting has improved in practically every summer he’s spent as a player. Last year, he not only had his greatest mid-range shooting season as a 76er, but he also had his best free throw shooting season (85.9 percent ). However, Embiid’s shooting stats have plummeted thus far this season.
Embiid has a 41.3 percent two-point shooting percentage in 13 games. In his previous five seasons with the Sixers, he has never shot lower than 49.5 percent from inside the arc. He’s also shooting 35.5 percent from 16-22 feet and 76.2 percent from the free throw line, both career lows.
Embiid is no longer the outside shooting threat he was in previous seasons. His shooting ability is a big reason why he’s become one of the league’s most unguardable centers, but without it, it’s simpler for defenders to lock in on Embiid and force him to settle for mid-range shots.
The 27-year-old is averaging 22.5 points per game, his lowest total since his rookie season. The 76ers are just 12-11 after 23 games because Embiid hasn’t been his usual dominating self on offense (among other things).
Another key problem for the 76ers is their defense.
Only a quarter of the way into the new season, the 76ers have ran into a slew of issues. Ben Simmons is still sidelined with no timetable for his return, other players have lost time due to positive COVID-19 testing, and the team’s best player is enjoying his least productive offensive season in his career.
Through 23 games, Philadelphia is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and it won’t be able to make a postseason push unless Embiid can break out of his early shooting slump.
You may blame his troubles on missing time due to a bad COVID-19 infection, but if his mid-range shooting doesn’t improve soon, the 76ers might have to worry.
Basketball Reference provided all stats.
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