There aren’t many players in the NBA that have figured out a way to slow down Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The reigning MVP has found success against virtually everyone he has matched up with, as his offensive skills make him one of the toughest assignments in the league.
However, there is one player that has seemingly cracked the code. Every time Embiid is a matchup with Boston Celtics veteran big man Al Horford, his production dips. Horford, in an exclusive interview with Heavy and shared by Matt John, spoke about what it takes to slow down his talented opponent.
Horford did praise Embiid for the effort that he puts in to improve his craft, admitting that it is a challenge to slow him down. But, while he receives most of the credit for the work, Horford did say that it is a total team effort from the Celtics, not just him alone.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Al Horford, Joel Emiid, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics Updates
“For me, it’s really just trying to contain him in the best way that I can. And usually, people always give me a lot of credit, but it’s a team thing. I feel like the guys around me understand the game plan. They know what they need to do, and they’re always there to help and assist me,” Horford told Heavy.
This season, Embiid is putting together another MVP-caliber campaign. He is averaging 32 points per game on the season, but when facing the Celtics, his production has slipped.
In two matchups against Boston to this point, Embiid has scored 20 and 27 points. Those are two of only five times that he has scored under 30 points this season. Opening night against the Milwaukee Bucks and November 4th against the Phoenix Suns, when he had 26, are the only lower outputs he has.
As a three-level scorer, Embiid presents unique challenges for any big man who is matching up against him. That is part of what Horford said was so difficult about slowing him down, as there are different layers to his game that you need to figure out.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Al Horford, Joel Emiid, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics Updates
“I have to be really locked in and understand what I need to do because he’s the kind of guy that’s just so talented offensively, and he can really shoot it, too,” he said. “So it’s not like you’re just trying to stop one thing. It’s like multiple layers to his game. And for me, that’s fun. It’s fun to be able to go and compete against him and just go at it.”
Fun is certainly not how most people would describe their meetings against Embiid, as he normally steamrolls them. But, when you receive a moniker that Horford has as an Embiid Stopper, your outlook on the matchups are much different than everyone else’s.
Embiid missed the third matchup of the season on December 1st between the 76ers and Celtics because of an illness. The Celtics won that game by six, giving them a 2-1 record against their Atlantic Division rivals during the 2023-24 NBA season.
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