Olympics 2024

[Dahlsim]

Embiid scored 7 straight but also gave up 4-5 offensive rebounds so at best a net neutral there. He also just does the most lazy/lack of awareness defensive rotations I've ever seen.

The last minute Serbia did everything in their power to get the ball to Jokic in the paint. They got the switch where Curry was forced to guard Jokic, and Embiid had to guard Micic. Instead of denying the entry pass and forcing Micic to take a long 3pt shot with a minute remaining, Embiid basically gives Serbia exactly what they want. 
Micic could've basically tattooed on his forehead "I'm passing the ball to Jokic" and Embiid still wouldn't have gotten the memo. 

There was another one where he GOES UNDER a ball screen and leaves Bogdanovic wide open from 3 and gives the most half hearted closeout. 

In both cases, USA was spared. Bogdan missed the 3. Jokic got fouled and they had to reset.

Impossible to read a players defensive decisions like that unless you also know what his assignments are and what he might be covering for or compensating for in the team's defensive scheme on a given play.   The center has been protecting the rim and paint while at time also coming out to guard the 3.  
Steve Kerr has shown that he will play the players he thinks give them the best chance to win a given matchup.  He said he replaced Embiid with AD/Bam because the speed matchup against South Sudan.  Against Jokic however they absolutely needed Embiid. 

But make no mistake, team USA won in SPITE of Embiid, not because of him. 

Joel Embiid was +17 against Serbia.  
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/joe...r-AA1ouaC3 

But Embiid was essential to the Americans, especially as they did all they could to withstand Serbia's 3-point barrage (15-39) and claw back from a 17-point deficit.


It was no coincidence that the Americans outscored Serbia by 17 points in the 27 minutes Embiid was on the court. He was everywhere and did everything. He buried his patented foul-line jumpers. He manned the middle on defense. But he extended himself, too, bodying up Jokic on multiple possessions and throwing down a baseline slam after creating a runway with one of his slow-motion pump fakes
Embiid finished with 19 points — on a ridiculous 9-for-11 shooting — 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, along with one critical, back-breaking screen to free up Curry for a go-ahead triple with just over two minutes remaining, giving Team USA its first lead since the first quarter.

https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status...0707421416