Philadelphia 76ers: 5 goals for Joel Embiid in 2017-18

After making a grand entrance onto the NBA scene last season, here are five goals for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid in 2017-18.

Few players in recent memory have had the sudden impact that Joel Embiid displayed last season.

In just 31 games, Embiid transformed the mindset of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers quickly altered their outlook from hoping they could win, to knowing they could win.

Nothing more exemplifies this than their play in the month of January. Having won a total of 10 games for the 2015-16 season, the Sixers posted a 10-5 record for January. And a significant portion of this success can be attributed to Embiid, an amazing feat for a player just finding his feet in the league.

In his brief time on the court, Embiid averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in just 25.4 minutes per game. Up until his season ended on Jan. 27 due to a knee injury that eventually required surgery, Embiid’s impact can’t be emphasized enough.

When Embiid was on the court during this period, the Sixers recorded a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 99.1, which would have led the league over the course of the season. But when he was off the floor, this number exploded to 107.7, equivalent to 20th in the league.

What is even more amazing about Embiid’s impact last season was that he was on a minutes restriction throughout the time he was available. Just once over his 31 games did Embiid eclipse 30 minutes in a game, and furthermore did not participate in any back-to-back contests.

As training camp approaches, Embiid has yet to be cleared for full-court scrimmages. But a recent  Instagram post will certainly be encouraging for all involved with the Sixers’ franchise.

With the season fast approaching, here are five goals for Embiid in 2017-18.