Joel Embiid ceased playing with a score-first mentality vs. Raptors. Should Sixers be encouraged?

Is it time to stop worrying about Joel Embiid?

Defensively, the 76ers center hasn’t been the same player we’ve been accustomed to. Embiid has also mostly shot the ball when he touches it, rather than helping teammates get better shots.

Those could be two concerning realities for a player who, in the preseason, sounded content to serve as a supporting actor, uplifting the teammates around him.

But his performance in Saturday’s 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors at the Xfinity Mobile Arena was a step in the right direction.

Embiid finished with a season-high 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting to go with six points, four assists, two turnovers, and one block in 25 minutes, 57 seconds. For the first time in a few games, the standout didn’t try to force things in attempting to score on just about every touch.

Instead, he spread the ball to teammates and felt comfortable while taking a backseat to Trendon Watford, who finished 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists for his first career triple-double.

Setting the tone from the start, Embiid’s selfless play was a significant reason why the Sixers (6-3) had six double-figure scorers against the Raptors (5-5).

“It’s just about moving the ball,” he said. “Passing to the open guy. Like I said, I’m not too worried about the offense. I think we know what we have to do, especially sharing the ball.

“We just got to do a better job on the defensive end.”

Embiid thinks doing a better job of guarding their man on defense is the most significant area that needs improvement.

“Take more pride,” he said. “I thought we did a better job, especially in the second quarter. Then in the fourth, just trying to do a better job keeping your man in front of you, because if you don’t, it just creates rotations, guys attacking the rim.

“I got to help, and everybody else is in rotations. So we are working on it. I just think that’s really where it starts.”

Against the Raptors, Embiid was a game-best plus 11 while playing 5 minutes, 42 seconds of action in the fourth quarter. He had eight points on 2-for-3 shooting to go with three rebounds and one block.

His fourth-quarter efforts haven’t always been positive this season, though. Yet, the Sixers almost have to play him down the stretch now. But one could argue that if they didn’t play him, they might have beaten the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

» READ MORE: Quentin Grimes flips season of uncertainty into steady role as sixth man and Sixers closer

The 113-111 road loss dropped the Sixers to 0-2 in games Embiid has closed before he helped to lead them to victory on Saturday. Meanwhile, they are 4-1 in games that Adem Bona finished at center, and 1-0 with Andre Drummond assuming that role.

But even if he struggles, the Sixers have to play Embiid to avoid mentally losing the 2023 MVP, who is returning from an ailing left knee. Losing him now could disrupt the great chemistry the team has built.

So the Sixers will have to wait and see how he develops, and whether his left knee improves following his second surgery in 14 months and third in nine years, which took place in April.

Although it’s a small sample size, before Saturday, Embiid was in the midst of career lows in scoring (17.8 points per game), field-goal percentage (.423), rebounding (5.4), and minutes played (22.8). His scoring average and minutes played should improve once he no longer has to deal with a minutes restriction.

Embiid may not be in rhythm yet. His basketball conditioning may not be there yet. He may have a ways to go.

We are seeing Embiid rely on his 7-foot-2, 280-pound frame to try to overpower opponents. And his lack of lateral movement has enabled players he used to dominate to get easy buckets while he’s in the game. The Sixers must give him enough time to try to improve in that area.

We’ll find out soon whether the lack of explosion and lateral movement, combined with defensive shortcomings, is the player he’s become, or if he’s still getting back into the groove after being sidelined since February.

But the two-time scoring champion could consistently do a better job of reinventing himself for the time being.

» READ MORE: Will VJ Edgecombe reach his full potential while the Sixers figure out what Joel Embiid has left in tank?

In Tuesday’s loss to Chicago, Embiid didn’t help his teammates get good shots. The 31-year-old focused on getting his shot. The problem was that he struggled mightily with his shot after re-entering the game with the Sixers clinging to a 109-102 cushion with 5 minutes, 39 seconds remaining.

Eighteen seconds later, Embiid had an 8-foot turnaround jumper blocked by Nik Vučević. Then he missed a 9-foot fadeaway jumper at the 4:59 mark. With 3:53 remaining, he misfired on a 10-foot turnaround fadeaway.

Vučević stole the ball from Embiid 1:11 later before he missed a 26-foot, stepback three-pointer on the Sixers’ next possession. And his final shot attempt was a missed 14-foot jumper with 59.2 seconds left.

Embiid shot 0-for-5, and the Sixers were outscored by nine points in his fourth-quarter minutes.

But that’s not where his struggles began.

Embiid had two points on 1-for-5 shooting and two turnovers in addition to three rebounds, one assist, two steals, and a block while playing 6:38 in the third. While he did the intangibles, his lackluster shooting and turnovers helped to set the Sixers back.

Embiid finished the game with 20 points on 7-for-21 shooting — including making 1 of 6 three-pointers — to go with six rebounds, two assists, three steals, four blocks, and three turnovers in 25:33.

But, mainly looking for his own shot, Embiid didn’t look like someone embracing his new reality and role with the Sixers.

Instead, his desire to play with a score-first mentality doomed the Sixers. That marked the third consecutive game that he had outright or was tied for the team’s second-most shot attempts despite playing the fifth-most minutes.

The Sixers aren’t going to beat many quality opponents with him gunning like that. Nor is it the way he played in the preseason.

Back then, Embiid appeared OK to be a pass-first big man. His presence made things easier for teammates. He routinely found them on cuts to the basket and delivered open layup opportunities as they streaked up the court.

» READ MORE: Paul George could be approaching ‘last hurdle’ to make his season debut for Sixers

Embiid has played well as a power forward in a twin-tower lineup with Bona. The Sixers had high-percentage scoring plays in which Embiid received the ball at the elbow and dished to Bona under the basket.

But the offense stalled chiefly in the regular season, as he looked for his own shot.

That changed on Saturday, though. Instead of primarily looking to score, Embiid looked to make the right play. And he still managed to have the second-most shot attempts. This time, he played the sixth most minutes. And for the most part, Embiid played within the flow of the offense.

So was Saturday a sign that he actually is committed to making a change?

If so, that’s an excellent sign for the Sixers.

If not, how much will it be a cause for concern?