Joel Embiid’s first preseason appearance produced a clip that traveled for all the wrong reasons.
On Thursday at the Barclays Center, Embiid and rookie Labaron Philon pushed a two-on-one break against the Brooklyn Nets. Embiid fed Philon with a behind-the-back pass, and Philon answered with a lob over the lone defender, Egor Demin.
The pass was there for a dunk, but Embiid never left the floor. He caught the ball flat-footed, tried to finish standing, and missed the layup. Demin tipped the loose ball, and Keon Ellis recovered it, turning a sure basket into an empty possession.
In his preseason debut after sitting out Monday’s win over the Knicks, Embiid finished with six points on 1-of-5 shooting, three rebounds, three assists and eight turnovers in a 114-108 loss. After multiple knee operations, he looked unwilling to elevate, even with a clear path to the rim.
The same game brought a sharper scare. In the first half, Embiid sold light contact from Moritz Wagner and flopped into teammate Jaylen Brown. Brown stayed down briefly holding his right knee, then walked it off and stayed in, later leading Philadelphia with 18 points.
Philadelphia still has preseason work ahead, including a trip to Boston. The viral miss and the collision were early reminders that Embiid’s lift and body control remain open questions.
