Watch: Joel Embiid dons coach's hat assisting Tyrese Maxey and 76ers from the sidelines in preseason skirmish
There is a lot of hype surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers this season after landing Paul George this offseason, pairing the nine-time NBA All-Star with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Their new big three ranks among the best in the NBA and makes the 76ers a legitimate contender in the East.
Staying healthy will be a major factor in Philadelphia's success this season, as the team is being extra cautious during the preseason. Joel Embiid is sitting out of the preseason to focus on his health as the regular season approaches but is still finding ways to get involved.
Embiid was coaching his teammates up from the sidelines, serving almost as an assistant coach in his absence from the court. The 76ers took to X to share a clip of the 2022-23 NBA MVP coaching up Tyrese Maxey.
Embiid was dropping knowledge on the fifth-year guard as the veteran big man prepares to enter his 10th NBA season. The seven-time All-Star is eyeing a comeback season after missing 43 games last season and an Olympic appearance this summer.
Philadelphia 76ers dominate in preseason opener
With coach Embiid on the sidelines, the Philadelphia 76ers cruised to a 139-84 win over the New Zealand Breakers in their first preseason game. Rookie guard Jared McCain led Philadelphia in scoring, posting 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes.
Reggie Jackson, Tyrese Maxey and Guerschon Yabusele each tied McCain's 15-point mark in the preseason opener. Jackson and Maxey each shot 5-7 from the field, and Yabusele was a perfect 6-6 from the floor, 1-1 from three-point range and 3-3 from the free throw line.
Ricky Council IV also had an impressive showing versus New Zealand, scoring 13 points and shooting 5-5 from the field. The second-year guard also grabbed six rebounds and plucked two steals. The win was a nice tune-up game as the preseason rolls on, with the 76ers looking to build some chemistry and rapport entering the regular season.
The 76ers are tied with the Minnesota for the fourth-best NBA title odds this season at (+1000).