PHILADELPHIA _ Like the previous three campaigns, the 76ers have a lot of problems. They finally have a nice gigantic one.
It centers on the player that was a gamble of a third-overall pick in the 2014 draft. Now, folks are wondering if Joel Embiid can be the Sixers' next megastar on the level of Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone and Allen Iverson.
Embiid had another solid performance amid another loss. This time, it was a 104-72 setback to the Atlanta Hawks Saturday afternoon Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers (0-2) have lost six straight and 18 of the last 19 games dating back to last season.
But if he's remains healthy, Embiid just might be good enough to make folks forget about the tough times. The 7-foot-2, 276-pounder might also be good enough to bring a winner back to Philadelphia in a couple of seasons. And he just might actually be the franchise player over first-overall pick Ben Simmons, who sidelined with a fractured right foot.
Embiid finished with 14 points, two rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes, 28 seconds while more than holding his own against Hawks center Dwight Howard and power forward Paul Millsap.
However, none of that mattered to the rookie of the year candidate. To him, this afternoon was a disappointment.
"It doesn't matter if you score 50 points if your team loses," Embiid said.
But this was a good individual test for the Cameroonian, who had missed the previous two seasons due to two foot surgeries.
In Howard, he faced a 6-11, 265-pound eight-time All-Star. Like in Wednesday's matchup against Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, Embiid faced someone with brute strength and a post presence. And like against Adams, he strived.
Embiid also made things look easy against Millsap, a two-time All-Star.
The only things that held Embiid back were restricted minutes and first-half foul trouble.
Embiid was only scheduled 20 minutes maximum due to the Sixers bringing him a long slowly. However, he never reached that limit because of first-half foul trouble and being held out late in the fourth quarter of a lopsided loss.
Aside for that, the 22-year-old lived up to all of the 'Trust the Process' chants he received from fans while attempting foul shots.
Embiid opened the game with a 26-foot 3-pointer at the top of the key. Then he scored on a running finger roll to give the Sixers a 5-0 advantage 47 seconds into the game. Embiid went 5-for-9 from the field and made 3 of 4 foul shots.
"I think I did pretty all right," he said. "I got the shots I wanted, and, obviously, the foul calls kind of messed up my whole rhythm. But I think I did all right."
Embiid looked way better than all right in a third-quarter play against Millsap.
He caught the ball behind the 3-point line at the top of the key. As Millsap charged, he dribbled past the power forward before he scored an off-balanced layup to the left of the basket over reserve post player Mike Muscala.
The basket pulled the Sixers within 17 points (63-46) with 7:30 left in the third.
The Sixers also unveiled their latest version of the Twin Towers with Embiid playing alongside reserve center Jahlil Okafor. During that stint, Embiid moved over to power forward and played on the high post. Meanwhile, Okafor was on the block.
Overall, Embiid has a solid game in the loss. He did have one miscue, though.
Early in the fourth quarter, Embiid turned the ball over by stepping across the line while inbounding the ball. But even with that, he and Atlanta shooting guard Kyle Korver were the most impressive players on the floor.
Millsap paced the Hawks (2-0) with 17 points. However, Korver added 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including making 3 of 4 threes.
Howard was held to two points to go with seven rebounds and three blocks. His blocks gave him 1,830 for his career, surpassing former Sixer Elton Brand for 24th all-time in NBA/ABA history.
It's hard to believe that the Sixers scored the game's first eight points. The Hawks had a commanding 32-point lead on Taurean Prince's jumper with 26.3 seconds left.
Sixers point guard Serio Rodriguez finished with 14 points and five assists. Richaun Holmes added 10 points.
