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Daily Debate: Is Joel Embiid the best big in the NBA?
▶ TIFFANY LITTLER
@TLIt33
WESLEY DOTSON
@WesDotsonUDK
"Yes."
After being drafted No. 3 in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft, Joel "The Process" Embiid was plagued by back-to-back right foot injuries. Prior to the foot injuries, he suffered a stress fracture in his back before the final month of his lone season at Kansas. After sitting for two full seasons, Embiid made his debut at the start of the 2016-17 season and has been off to a hot start in his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers (13-26).
In Monday night's 113-104 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Emiiid became the first player in NBA history to have nine-straight games with 20 or more points after playing less than 30 minutes. Emiiid finished the night with 22 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
He continued that streak in a 94-89 win over Toronto on Wednesday. While this is a great personal accomplishment, the Sixers likely have Embiid to thank for their improvement as a whole.
In his first season on the court, the 76ers are already on pace to surpass their total number of wins of each of the last three seasons. The team already has three more wins than they did by the end of last season with 13. It should be
noted Embiid does not play in every game, as he has missed 11 games thus far. The Sixers have won just two of those games with his absence.
Philadelphia's Joel Embiid dunks against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 8.
Averaging 19.6 points per game, Embiid is Philadelphia's leading scorer. As of January 16, Embiid sits atop USA Today Sports' top three candidates for the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year award. If selected for the All-Star Game, Embiid would become the first rookie participating in the event since Blake Griffin (2011), and the fourth in the last 20 years (Yao Ming, 2003; Tim Duncan, 1998).
Embiid is almost halfway through his first season in the NBA and is already being compared to Hall of Famers such as Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Along with Sixers fans "trusting the process," other voices from around the NBA have given the rookie praise. Embiid can play minimal minutes and still make a big impact for his team. In just 28 games, the potential Rookie of the Year has easily proven why he can be considered as the best big man in the NBA.
"No."
NBA fans who reminisce the early 2000s era of when star big men like Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett were in their prime and dominated the league are likely excited about the direction the league is currently headed.
The NBA has been replenished with a number of talented big men, and they appear ready to create a new era. One of those players includes Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who is making a significant impact in his first healthy season with the team.
Embidid, who missed the first two seasons of his career due to foot injuries, is averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 28 games this season. The former Jayhawk is off to a stellar start early in his career, and he is making a serious push to start in this year's All-Star game as a rookie, but he is not yet the best big man in the league.
That title belongs to Sacramento Kings power forward Demarcus Cousins, who is currently having the best season of his career.
Associated Press
Embiid can play minimal minutes and still make a big impact for his team."
Cousins is averaging 28.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 39 games this season. Yes, Cousins has had heated altercations with Sacramento media from time to time, but there is no denying his potential to become a superstar in this league. His best game of the season came on
Dec. 20, when he scored 55 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and shot 5-of-8 from the three-point line.
Although Embiid has the ability to eventually become the best big man in the league, he just isn't there yet in his rookie season. Philadelphia has a tight restriction on Embiid's minutes, but he is still making the most of them. Since Dec. 23, Embiid has scored 20 points or more in the eight games he's played in. That's quite a feat for a player averaging only 25:3 minutes per game.
Another player to consider for best big man is, of course New Orleans Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis. Like Cousins, Davis is currently
enjoying the best season of his career, as he is averaging 29 points, 12 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. The only knock on Davis is whether he can stay healthy for a full season. He is yet to play in at least 70 games in a season in his five-year career.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game) and New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis (averaging 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game) will always certainly be in the discussion as well, but in the coming seasons, the debate will likely be dominated by Cousins and Embiid.
himself from Embiid with his career-best play this season. Another separator has to be the fact Cousins' Kings are in playoff contention. The team currently sits eight games under .500 (16-24), but is only a half game out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Embiid's 76ers are currently seven games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Cousins has separated
Still, the fact Embiid is already in the discussion as best big man in the league speaks to the extremely high ceiling he has.
Just: Chiefs still upset over late-game holding call
AMIE JUST
@Amie_Just
Associated Press Chiefs celebrate before a penalty was called on a two-point conversion.
For 30 seconds, there was hope.
The Kansas City Chiefs only for a fleeting moment were jubilant in celebration. And then came the flag.
As the yellow laundry hit the grass, Chiefs fans knew their wishes to play the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship were far fetched. And they were. Kansas City fell to Pittsburgh 18-16 in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs.
With nine minutes and 49 seconds left, quarterback Alex Smith orchestrated arguably one of the grittiest drives in recent Kansas City history.
The Chiefs converted two fourth downs and marched 75 yards down the field for running back Spencer Ware to burst into the end zone for a t-yard touchdown on the 13th play of the drive.
Playing to tie, the Chiefs went for the two-point conversion. As the ball was snapped, Demetrius Harris ran to the back of the end zone. Smith went over the top and found Harris wide open.
As the Chiefs celebrated together, they didn't notice the flag on the field. When the referee turned on his microphone to announce a penalty, Smith stopped dead in his tracks.
It wouldn't count. They had to do it again.
The culprit? Former Kansas City first-round draft pick Eric Fisher. The offensive lineman was called for holding on Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison, an outside linebacker.
The ensuing two-point attempt was no good for the Chiefs and they'd need a miracle to come back. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, that miracle never came.
One question loomed in
the minds of Chiefs fans as well as Chiefs players and coaches how could referee Carl Cheffers and Co. make that call?
"This sucks," tight end Travis Kelee said to reporters after the game. "It was an unbelievable play call. Last drive, Alex just drove us down there fourth down after fourth down, making plays, making plays, the momentum is getting on our side and just get our jugulars ripped out because a ref felt bad for James Harrison falling on the ground. It's ignorance."
Travis Kelce Chiefs Tight End
It was an unbelievable play call."
Kelce continued to say that Cheffers "shouldn't be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again. He shouldn't even be able to work at f—ing Foot Locker."
Kelce's frustration — though maybe not his choice of words — were warranted. The Chiefs were within their grasp of the AFC Championship, a game they've only played in once, that appearance coming in the 1993-94 season. It's also a game they've never won.
"I know [Fisher] is going to have a lot of eyes on him for that call, and I'm not sure I completely agree with what took place, but it did. The call was made and we live with that."
"There are certain things you agree with and don't agree with during games," Reid told reporters. "It really doesn't matter now that we're sitting here. I don't want to be fined any money, but I would tell you I was probably leaning the other way. I thought that [Fisher] did what he needed to do on that particular block to get that done and the problem is when [Harrison] slipped, it can look worse than it is."
On Monday, after coach Andy Reid had time to sleep on it, he said he doesn't "completely agree with" the penalty.
Like Reid said, regardless of whether the call was fair or not, it doesn't matter now. The Steelers will play the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship game on Sunday.
- Edited by Erin Brock
Andrea Ringgenberg/KANSAN
Junior guard Jessica Washington shoots the ball during the game against West Virginia. Kansas lost 62-51.
KU falls to No.24 WVU
JARED ANDERSON
@JAnderson_383
As Kansas (6-12, Big 12 0-7) marched on the hardwood to face off against No. 24 West Virginia (15-4, Big 12 3-4) Wednesday night, the team's hunger for a win could not have been greater.
After failing to pick up a Big 12 victory in its first six conference matches this season, Kansas' aspirations amplified.
While the Jayhawks may have walked into the match-up with the right mindset, their execution fell short, and they lost to the Mountaineers 62-51. Kansas redshirt-junior Jessica Washington led all scorers with 24 points.
With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Kansas trailed West Virginia by just three points. As West Virginia failed to connect on its shot-attempts, Kansas acknowledged its opportunity. The Jayhawks would pick up their first lead of the game, 34-35, with four minutes remaining in the third period.
"We were taking crazy shots," West Virginia coach Mike Carey said. "Coming down 2-on-1, shooting threes, we've never practiced that. I
Unfortunately, Kansas' valiant efforts fell short. The Mountaineers' collective production was ultimately too much for the Jayhawks to handle, as three players notched double figures.
West Virginia kicked off the night with a 10-0 run, and Kansas struggled to find its footing. However, the Jayhawks would soon begin to fight their way back behind Washington. After two periods, Washington led all scorers with 12 points. Kansas entered the half down, 31-24.
Redshirt-sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert was now starting to heat up, and Kansas looked poised for a long-awaited win.
don't know where they saw that, in the NBA or something, but we just got out of rhythm and started taking bad shots."
West Virginia's Lanay Montgomery - who leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage and blocked shots - and Teana Muldrow, posed a startling presence in the paint. Montgomery contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while Muldrow added 12 points and 15 boards.
"I thought in the fourth quarter, Lanay Montgomery
and Teana Muldrow did a good job on the boards, which really helped us get some easy ones," Carey said.
Even with West Virginia's notable play, turnovers delayed their success. The Mountaineers coughed up the ball 25 times compared to Kansas' 16.
"It wasn't a real pretty game," Carey said. "A lot of turnovers, I don't understand it, but give them credit. They pressured us to turn it over."
Washington and Calvert were the only Jayhawks to notch ten-or-more points in the loss. Washington's showing was significant. In addition to her 24 points, she added six rebounds and three assists.
Despite the tough loss, coach Brandon Schneider is proud of his team's effort.
"That's the hardest our team has played since I've been the head coach here," Schneider said. "I thought they played their tails off. I couldn't be more proud with their effort."
Kansas' pursuit of its first conference win will resume this Sunday, as the team travels to Fort Worth, Texas to take on TCU. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
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