Joel Embiid praise Philadelphia 76ers defence afta dem open di new season wit 106-100 win over New York Knicks on Tuesday. Embiid finish wit 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks as Philadelphia overcome four-point halftime deficit for Madison Square Garden.
Di Cameroon centre say di team defensive improvement afta di break na encouraging sign, but e stress say 76ers still dey work. "We [are] so far away from wetin we fit be," Embiid tok. "For start, we make [progress] defensively, offensively just dey find myself again."
Embiid point to im own defensive ambitions, say say im impact fit lift Philadelphia ceiling. "I tink dis show go be all-defensive team like for di past," e tok. "I dey everywhere. So, I need to do better." E add say e dey focus on making di correct decisions instead of to force im jump shot. "For me, e don always be about making di correct play over and over. Taking whatever di defense give me, especially early on."
Philadelphia get small scare when Knicks cut di deficit to 96-95 for di fourth quarter, but Embiid answer wit one important three-pointer to steady di visitors. E credit composure and di work of recent weeks for di finish. "Stay calm. Keep running, trust wetin we don do for di last two or three weeks."
Embiid also single out Tyrese Maxey, wey lead 76ers wit 28 points, say say im backcourt partner keep di offence afloat while oda players, including imself, dey struggle. Anfernee Simons add 13 points off di bench. Philadelphia go host Cleveland on Thursday as Embiid and im teammates continue to build chemistry.
