Gilbert Arenas Says Cleveland Cavaliers Exposed LeBron James and Joel Embiid’s Weakness In Philadelphia 76ers Loss

Gilbert Arenas questioned how LeBron James and Joel Embiid can cope with faster teams.© NDTV GALLERY

The Cleveland Cavaliers' 119-95 win over the Philadelphia 76ers gave Gilbert Arenas a reason to question how well LeBron James and Joel Embiid can handle teams that play at a high speed. James scored only eight points and had six turnovers, while Embiid went 0-for-11 from the field. On Gil's Arena, Arenas said Cleveland had exposed a problem with the pairing. He felt the Cavaliers were simply too quick for Philadelphia's two stars, who need time to get going. Cleveland did not give them much of it, racing into an early lead and pulling away again after the 76ers had briefly made the game close.

Gilbert Arenas Says Cleveland's Pace Troubled LeBron James And Joel Embiid

"It seems like they're exposing that Embiid can't really be on the court with certain teams. It's just that Cleveland was too fast," Arenas said.

He was not just talking about the two players' shooting numbers. Arenas believes James and Embiid need a chance to get their bodies moving before they can play at their best. That becomes difficult against a side that keeps attacking rather than allowing the game to slow down.

"You're talking about two dudes (Embiid and James) that got to kickstart their s**** you know, to get warmed up. To play against teams that are going to run, you can't slow."

Arenas also highlighted Cleveland's guard-heavy line-up and its ability to keep pushing the ball. His point was that Philadelphia cannot build its game around waiting for James and Embiid to settle in when the other team is already running at full speed.

"Like you can't play to Embiid and LeBron at the beginning of the game, trying to get their motors going. They need to run up and down a little bit to get started. So, when you're talking about like a team like Cleveland, right, they got d**** near four guards, right? And they're pushing it."

Cleveland Cavaliers Pull Away After 76ers Fight Back

Philadelphia had a difficult start, falling behind 19-4 in the opening quarter. The 76ers worked their way back into the game and cut Cleveland's lead to 67-65 in the third. But the Cavaliers answered with a 24-9 run to regain control.

Embiid finished with six points and did not make a single field goal in 11 attempts. James recorded eight points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Tyrese Maxey was Philadelphia's top scorer with 17 points.

The 76ers had got close enough to make it a contest in the third quarter. Cleveland's response left them chasing the game again, and Philadelphia never recovered.