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  6. article_body => "<p>He may not be a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, but Joel Embiid will at least get some recognition for his defense.<\/p>\n<p>Embiid on Wednesday was named to the NBA\u2019s All-Defensive Second Team. Utah\u2019s Rudy Gobert, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist to repeat, finished as the First-Team center.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not to say Gobert isn\u2019t deserving, but it does feel like Embiid\u2019s impact is a little undersold. He defends more shots than any player in the NBA at the rim, allowing opponents to shoot 61.6 percent, a full percentage point better&nbsp;than Gobert. The fact that Embiid got just four first-place votes is straight disrespectful.<\/p>\n<p>The playoffs don\u2019t weigh into regular season awards, but the Sixers\u2019 series against the Raptors further illustrated the impact of Embiid. The Sixers were a plus-90 with Embiid on the floor and a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jackfrank_jjf\/status\/1127814330395717632?s=21\" target=\"_blank\">minus-111 with him out<\/a>. In Game 7 alone, they were outscored by 12 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/paulhembo\/status\/1127912220342538240?s=21\" target=\"_blank\">in the 2:49 Embiid was on the bench<\/a> in a two-point game. And that\u2019s with Embiid struggling mightily on offense and dealing with tendinitis and illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>The hope is a healthy Embiid, who has always stated his goal is to win DPOY, comes back motivated.<\/p>\n<p>\"The only reason that I\u2019m playing is they\u2019re telling me my presence only helps us,\" Embiid said during exit interviews.&nbsp;\"Even if I\u2019m not producing offensively, defensively they\u2019re always telling me that the numbers show it. That\u2019s why I played \u2013 I couldn\u2019t let them down. It\u2019s fine. I\u2019ll take it all. You can put this loss on me. Don\u2019t just put it on the coach or anybody else. I should play better.\"<\/p>\n<p>Embiid was a finalist for DPOY last season, but Gobert, Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo make up the field this year. Embiid should have his name back in the mix season next season and should get more serious consideration for the award in the future.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&amp;creative_id=nbcsphi1356&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Sixers<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/sixers-should-not-trade-ben-simmons\">No, do NOT trade Ben Simmons<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/james-ennis-will-decline-his-player-option-could-very-well-still-return-sixers\">Ennis will decline player option, but don't rule out return to Sixers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/spotlight-elton-brand-his-first-nba-draft-free-agency-sixers-general-manager\">Now the man in charge, Brand faces pivotal Sixers offseason<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/backup-center-near-top-list-sixers-nba-free-agency-nba-draft\">How will Sixers address backup center this offseason? <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/hes-not-perfect-jimmy-butler-worth-risk-sixers-free-agency\">He\u2019s not perfect, but Jimmy Butler is worth the risk for Sixers <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n"
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76ers

76ers

He may not be a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, but Joel Embiid will at least get some recognition for his defense.

Embiid on Wednesday was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team. Utah’s Rudy Gobert, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist to repeat, finished as the First-Team center.

It’s not to say Gobert isn’t deserving, but it does feel like Embiid’s impact is a little undersold. He defends more shots than any player in the NBA at the rim, allowing opponents to shoot 61.6 percent, a full percentage point better than Gobert. The fact that Embiid got just four first-place votes is straight disrespectful.

The playoffs don’t weigh into regular season awards, but the Sixers’ series against the Raptors further illustrated the impact of Embiid. The Sixers were a plus-90 with Embiid on the floor and a minus-111 with him out. In Game 7 alone, they were outscored by 12 in the 2:49 Embiid was on the bench in a two-point game. And that’s with Embiid struggling mightily on offense and dealing with tendinitis and illnesses.

The hope is a healthy Embiid, who has always stated his goal is to win DPOY, comes back motivated.

"The only reason that I’m playing is they’re telling me my presence only helps us," Embiid said during exit interviews. "Even if I’m not producing offensively, defensively they’re always telling me that the numbers show it. That’s why I played – I couldn’t let them down. It’s fine. I’ll take it all. You can put this loss on me. Don’t just put it on the coach or anybody else. I should play better."

 

Embiid was a finalist for DPOY last season, but Gobert, Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo make up the field this year. Embiid should have his name back in the mix season next season and should get more serious consideration for the award in the future.

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