The Philadelphia 76ers aren't contenders without Joel Embiid. He’s their leading scorer and best defender, an anchor they can rely on to raise their ceiling at both ends of the floor. But if there’s one positive side to Embiid’s recent stretch on the sidelines due to knee tendinitis, it’s that Brett Brown has been forced to shake up his team a little.
Naturally, embracing smaller lineups has been at the forefront of this change. Without Embiid, Boban Marjanovic and even Jonah Bolden against Orlando on Tuesday, Brown has emphasized speed over size far more often.