Late in the second quarter of a January game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets, Joel Embiid is operating from his comfort zone of the left block. He faces up, drives baseline and transitions into a shot, but doesn’t quite find the edge to finish inside.
As he pivots back toward the hoop and away from the baseline, Garrison Mathews is there to offer a soft double-team. A hook shot is still available for Embiid and would be a fine decision. He’s taller than both Mathews and his primary defender, Christian Wood. Extending over the top would present a clean release.
