The Philadelphia 76ers finally got their revenge against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday after JB Bickerstaff's squad defeated them in their previous meeting last month. Joel Embiid played a pivotal role in Philadelphia's latest win, and even the Pistons head coach couldn't help but acknowledge the Sixers center's impact on the game.
During his postgame press conference, Bickerstaff had plenty of praise for Embiid, weighing in on the unique skill set that makes the veteran big man such a difficult matchup for opposing teams.
“The skill set that he has, the different challenges that he presents on both ends of the floor, his ability to spread the floor, his ability to score in the mid range, put pressure on your paint,” Bickerstaff said.
“He's one of the unique bigs that we have in this game. To just say a few things, just giving him the respect that he deserves.”
The Pistons fans attempted to make Embiid's night difficult with a loud chant from the stands. However, their efforts appeared to have the opposite effect, as the Philadelphia star used the hostile atmosphere as extra motivation to deliver an impressive performance.
Embiid finished Wednesday's game with 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds while adding two assists and one steal in 33 minutes of action.
Article Continues BelowThe Sixers center has once again demonstrated why he remains such a significant difference-maker on both ends of the floor. Though his scoring production has not yet reached the extraordinary heights of his MVP-winning season, Embiid continues to impact games through his scoring, rebounding and playmaking abilities.
Wednesday's performance also allowed Embiid to reach another impressive career milestone. It marked the 61st game of his career in which he recorded at least 25 points and 15 rebounds, the second-most such performances by a Sixers player over the past 40 seasons. Only Charles Barkley has recorded more for the franchise during that span.
Through his first seven appearances of the 2026-27 season, Embiid is averaging approximately 19.6 points, 10 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game,

