Theo Pinson says a healthy Joel Embiid is better than Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it’s not close. “What can Giannis do that Joel Embiid can’t?” (Via @ToTheBaha / h/t @TheHeatCentral )
The minute you say “and it’s not close” about most subjective things is typically when i stop listening
Hawks are the best team in the NBA and it’s not close
He said subjective. That’s objectively true. They beat the champs more than every other team combined, and they got better. Spooky.
We should add here explicitly since some people here won’t be able to intuit from your comment, that, they also beat the champions more than the champions beat themselves, because the Knicks didn’t play themselves in any official games.
I mean they were the only team to beat the Knicks in the playoffs more than once so… 🤷🏼♂️
I also love it when someone takes a player’s single greatest flaw and plays “what if they didn’t have that” and then use it as some kind of proof.
“Healthy Joel Embiid” may as well be “Giannis with a consistent jump shot.”
“If Joel is 100% healthy, he’s better than Giannis” is like saying “If Steph Curry was an all world defender”. It just doesn’t actually mean anything.
The truth is, Joel may never be fully healthy for even a single game again. Even at his best last year he still wasn’t what I would call “healthy.”
Could you imagine Matisse Thybulle with offense though?
Or me with NBA talent?
You’ve always had it in you champ. You just gotta believe
That’s not the same thing tho? We’ve seen Embiid healthy before. We’ve never seen Curry be an All NBA defender.
It’s the worst way to end an argument, and it’s not even close.
That’s usually the end of the sentence so that makes sense
Lead a team to a championship
Lead a team to a conference finals appearance tbh
Is that important?
I guess
The ringzzz culture has swung so far in the other direction it’s like people don’t care about winning anymore and act like regular season achievements are more important than winning in the postseason
That’s absolutely not true at all, it’s still way to the other side by far
This falls into healthy
Not really
Except the guy is never healthy, he’s barely played more games than AD in the past 3 years, and AD had 2 years with 9 and 20 games played respectively.
Kawhi sent his ass home crying
“A healthy” doing some heavy lifting here
Ausar Thompson making 3s is better than SGA. And it’s not even close
Peak Ben Simmons making 3s is better than Ausar Thompson making 3s and it’s not even close 😤
Giannis hasn’t been particularly healthy recently either
Embiid has played more playoff games since 2022 than Giannis and AD for the record
He played 2 fewer games than Joel last year, with the Bucks explicitly holding him out to tank for 10ish games. And that was the only season in his career he’s played less than 60 games. Until he starts missing 30 games every year, it’s a one time thing.
He got hurt in the 21 playoffs, got hurt in the 23 playoffs, missed the 24 playoffs due to injury as a whole, and only played 36 games this year.
He isn’t Embiid, but he has an extensive injury history that calls into question his ability to play a whole season and last through a playoff run.
Compared to Embiid, he’s basically an iron man.
“if my mother had wheels” typa scenario
Easy, these knees can’t support that type of load
What’s this about loads?
It’s like a mythical creature. A fire breathing dragon is better than a polar bear and it’s not close
Full court fast break layup?
I was gonna say.. Be one of the most dangerous transition players ever? Cover a shit ton of ground on defense? Be able to switch onto any player? Handle the ball full court?
Aside from shooting, what can Embiid do that Giannis can’t is a better question?
i’ll give you the transition stuff, but…Joel COULD cover a shit-ton of ground on defense for most of his career — was a legit DPOY-caliber rim protector until about two seasons ago. Even for his size, he could defend really well in space away from the paint. He’s not that guy anymore, tho.
He was still not as mobile or switchable as Giannis, though. You could play Giannis at any position on the floor at both ends and make it work.
Are we talking about peak Embiid or current Embiid, cause Pinson is talking about this season. Embiid will never be able to cover anyone but a center who can’t shoot at this point
Even then, you have rebounding menaces like Mitchell Robinson running circles around him to get offensive rebounds from said Centers.
Run?
Lol yeah. I’ve always said running up and down the court very fast is an important thing in sports.
We really listening to what Theo Pinson has to say?
Somebody find Ja Rule so I can make sense of all this
This sub loved listening to him when he was shitting on Gobert
this sub loves all these dumb Podcaster as long as they are conforming to the reddit’s hivemind
ding ding ding… even during the playoffs, ppl on this sub hated talking heads until they started shitting on the Thunder in accordance with their own proclivities and hate train.
Absolutely not
Mavs legend Theo Pinson
“What can Giannis do that Joel Embiid can’t?”
Stay healthy. The best ability is availability.
Heat fan trying to hide the fact that their new superstar has been injury prone since 2022 lmao
giannis since 2022:
2023: 63⁄82 before all-nba rules. averaged career high in ppg and got 1 seed. falls on back in playoffs cuz of Kevin Love and missed 3 games
2024: 73 games played, untimely calf strain right before playoffs but overall healthy year
2025: 67 games, played whole playoffs
2026: lower leg injuries then once tried to come back but bucks told him to sit to tank
not as durable as you’d want, but certainly not somethin a Heat fan would be worried about since he’s a top 4 player in the league
Just to say the Bucks did not sit him to tank, there was absolutely no draft benefit to losing games and they played all their actual rotation right until the last game of the season. They sat him, presumably, because he wasn’t healthy and they weren’t risking an injury right before they had to trade him.
When the comparison is to Joel Embiid, it’s not unfair.
Unless you are just some random fan of another team trying to talk shit for no reason.
Joelle =/= Cal Ripken.
This is why I have Mikal Bridges over Lebron James
Wait don’t we all?!?!?
tbh that’s exactly why he specifically said “healthy”. We’re dealing with a hypothetical Embiid not a real Embiid.
The best ability is availability
Dumbest shit people parrot. Millions of people are available but aren’t getting the check Joel Embiid is because of his ability.
Win DPOY and a chip?
Also Giannis seems like a better leader.
Just to refute some of this: a 100% healthy Embiid was also a DPOTY player and averaged about the same number of assists per game.
Embiid did not avg the same # of assists. He peaked at 5.6/game but it was only 39 games - outside of that his highest was 4.5/game. Giannis had back to back years at 6.5 assists with slightly lower TOs.
The defense is fair game but the assists per game are not a real comparison, there is a gap in passing/playmaking.
You forgot to say and it’s not close
Embiid was a great defender but I think Giannis was more impactful as he was like Bam or AD where he could protect the rim or play safety. Embiid was an unreal rim protector who could move his feet but I don’t think you wanted him out on the perimeter at all times. Also think Giannis is able to run the offense and Embiid needs a true PG.
The other thing I forgot to mention is just conditioning. Embiid at his peak is absolutely unstoppable but gets tired mid game. Giannis motor was absolutely insane where he’d look fresh all game. Doing what he did on his injured knee or whatever was insane in and of itself.
This should be a civil comment section and not just people bashing Embiid.
Embiid is the most hated on player since KD left GS
26 Shai had some motion; Harden gets plenty of slander too.
Giannis puts the most pressure on the rim in the league, way more than Embiid.
Get past the second round.
Edit: Past, not passed. I’m tired.
He also might be able to differentiate passed and past
knicks fan bro, they get a 1 year pass on English due to the chip. Unfortunately.
I think you mean passed 🤣
Giannis hasn’t done that in 5 years now or something.
Banners fly forever
I forgot rings have expiration dates
Giannis not doing anything in 5 years > Embiid not doing anything in ever
Are you saying giannis got passed around? Damn
Actually run the floor like he doesn’t have cinder blocks strapped to his feet
He can move better and drive to the basket and is largely unstoppable doing it. Embiid is a monster post player, they dont really have the same game so im not sure what theyre comparing here. Giannis has been dealing with health issues but hes still infinitely more available than Joel, which makes him the much better player to have.
Do people forget Giannis won a DPOY and an MVP in the same season? And won a FMVP the next year? And the MVP the year before that?
I enjoy The Process but he isn’t THAT.
Giannis was 28/12/6 and first team all defense all three of those years actually guarding 1-5. That’s one of the best three year runs in history.
We sleep on how elite that was.
run up and down the floor?
Defend on the perimeter and in space…drive and kick…
Theo Pinson averaged 2.7 pts in 5 years in the NBA.
And you averaged 0.0
Theo Pinson defenders out here lmfao
He is closer to Pinson than Pinson is to Giannis!
Theo Pinson mentioned that his last NBA game he had a triple double to say that it’s crazy he didn’t get signed to an NBA team like the last game of the regular season isn’t a joke lol.
Outside of staying healthy which is a hilarious thing to omit…
-Laughably better in transition on both sides of the ball
-Much better defensive player on the perimeter
Embiid is a dominant force defensively when he’s not on the perimeter but there have been some really bad Embiid stints where he’s getting pulled out to the perimeter and getting absolutely roasted. It happened last year in the playoffs. Hell, the game 7 blowout in 2023 where Tatum popped off was him repeatedly getting Joel on the perimeter and absolutely torching him.
Exactly this. On top of all that Giannis puts so much more pressure on the rim and on the full defense to move.
Embiids game is more one on one focus where he is looking to isolate. Giannis has the whole defense focused around stopping him
What’s a healthy Embiid? Has anyone ever seen this mythical creature?
We gotta stop listening to these idiots
The major difference is how they run an offense, i think giannis has more variety in how he gets his team good looks really at this point of his career. Giannis is more of a point forward with big man capabilities Embiid is just a pure big man
Giannis can win a championship. Embiid was healthy enough to be an MVP candidate/winner for several years on a team built around him and never made it to the finals.
Them teams were built like shit though . Multiple max players incapable of scoring or even shooting. They still should have beat the Hawks though , that series was inexcusable.
I still dont put that fully on Embiid honestly. One of the games I think him and Seth Curry were the only ones to score in a half lol
Wasn’t healthy, which is the point he’s making. Even that MVP year he ended the season a shell of himself
Giannis has a ring with an extremely less talented team compared to the teams Embiid has had
H2H Giannis is 10-6 vs Embiid and has better stats
Win a championship
DPOY
Be healthy
Jump?
Jump
Love it when guys that showed us no skill on the court also show us they know nothing about the game off the court too. He’s just like most of us on Reddit
Reach the finals.
Win them, actually.
Catch lobs, run in transition, handle the ball on the fast break, Jump without risk of injury, Run without risk of injury, Jump, run, move laterally well, help defense on the weak side.
Stay on his feet
I think I’ll take the 2x MVP with a championship and FMVP. Media is talking crazy
1,000% Giannis. I don’t think it’s close.
Idk, hard to make the argument when one lead a team to a ring and other can’t lead a team past the 2nd round
Giannis has had some bad early exits in the playoffs relative to where the Bucks were seeded and has had injury concerns especially recently but Embiid has been worse in both regards pretty much always.
Play basketball
Embiid is the IF Man of the NBA
A healthy Embiid will never exist
Win a ring. Get passed the second round. Score 50 in the finals.
A healthy Embiid is a fictional character.
Best ability is availability. Giannis carried his team to a title while being banged up. Embiid is worn down and beat up after a single playoff series.
Run down the court 2 times in a row
Since we in fantasy land, we sign Ben Simmons and he finally reaches his potential an becomes the MVP
What can Giannis do that Embiid can’t? Win a title.
If my grandmother had wheels she’d be a bike
Healthy Embiid has never been a thing in history…. so this fantasy he’s having is pointless lol.
I actually agree with this but it’s completely moot since Embiid can’t stay healthy
If we’re talking about basketball skills, then he’s 100% right and it’s not close. However, if we apply the same criteria to other players then Kyrie is better than LeBron.
He’s right
What ex-NBA doesn’t have a podcast at this point
Better at flopping
Stay healthy for a playoff run?
Theo is the worst part of this show. He just screams.
A healthy Joel embid does not exist
Stay on the court lol
Well Giannis is much faster and can jump higher, both very helpful skills on a basketball court. Hope this helps
Don’t care how healthy Joel can be, I don’t think we will mvp level Joel again especially with the development of the younger guards and Bron /Brown joining. His splits maybe a lot better but he has to stay healthy
It must be nice to be 7 feet and run and just dunk. That takes no skill at all
I’m so confused. This sentiment isn’t even close to true. Giannis is an athletic freak who’s unstoppable off the dribble even without a jump shot. Embiid is almost the exact opposite of skillset wise
Wtf
I ain’t never seen Giannis with a Zero point game 🤷
https://youtu.be/m57GlTU-Jj4?si=bEX0xCntzYPXIErf
A flying Honda Civic is better than a jet, and it’s not close.
I may not fully agree, but I can definitely see why someone would say a healthy embiid is better. Saying it’s not even close is definitely stupid though. Also, players like embiid and AD are never healthy so I don’t get why people always add the “if healthy”.
The obvious answer is just staying healthy, Giannis has had some long stretches with injuries, but he’s been remarkably consistent for the most part about showing up in the playoffs. Every conversation regarding Embiid has the health qualifier unfortunately, irregardless of skill, talent, or achievements.
Healthy Embiid can arguably be better, but he doesn’t clear. Healthy Embiid barely , if ever , exists
“it’s not close” destroys his argument. You don’t have to go to extreme to prove your point.
It’s a legit argument that could be had.
Maybe I’d put embiid over Giannis because of the shooting?
Well if Theo Pinson thinks so then it must be so
“Stay healthy” is the answer
But embiid is only healthy for like 9 games a year
Joel may have a better skillset but he doesn’t use his size enough. I’d take Giannis over a healthy Embid. He will compete and stay aggressive and will not let the defense off the hook, which Embid will settle often for 3s and being away from the basket.
And when was the last time Embiid was truly healthy…?
Run and jump, two skills valuable in basketball.
The best ability is availability.
We can’t talk in hypotheticals both guys are vets now.
Embiid becoming the next If Man
I think it’s pretty widely agreed upon that healthy 2022-2024 Embiid is one of the best players ever
The Giannis fans are a great group that has also been attacked by the Jokic trolls. Instead of attacking each other, we need to continue to hammer the Jokic incels into submission.
But to answer the question, Embiid is more skilled offensively. He is Dirk Nowitzki lvl in midrange shooting. Giannis is more athletic. Peak Giannis defense is a smidge above peak Embiid defense. Giannis is the better leader. Embiid is funnier. Embiid can take over a game the way few ever could.
Not play drop coverage on defense because he can move quickly enough laterally to guard people on the perimeter, that is what Giannis can do that Embiid cannot.
Ummm…Stay on the court?
I don’t completely hate this take. I think the gap just depends on what you value in basketball. But I also do believe that prime Embiid was better than prime Giannis
Theo Pinson yells and conflates his opinion with facts…A healthy Joel is a oxymoron..
Bro he’s not wrong. Healthy peak embiid could have been in goat convos lol. He actually looked unstoppable
Being Healthy… Running fastbreaks, initiating offenses from the top of the key, make the Conference finals etc etc.
I agree the gap from a healthy/prime Joel and Giannis isn’t/wasn’t all that big but there is a massive gap in career accomplishments
Lol Theo pinson is such a doofus. He can’t push the fast break like giannis. That alone I’m not listening to this emotional dude
Come back from a 2-0 deficit and win a NBA Championship after his knee bent the opposite direction and give me, a Suns fans nightmares the following months. I know it was two relatively small - to medium market teams so there is not a lot of fan fare but I’m still in disbelief that the Bucks won that championship.
he’s right
jump
Way different play styles, but skill level he is totally right. Embiid is one of the best EVER. I do wish/hope he can continue to prove his case among some of the greatest ever. Giannis and Joel are both super superstars
Run and cover 2-5
Run
Like even if you think Joel is better this is a hilariously stupid thing to say. Joel even healthy cannot sprint down court the way Giannis does. Giannis is peak run and dunk man while embiid has always been a skill big who isn’t a transition demon. Both can be top 5 guys in the league when healthy but are not at all the same type of big man
People really forget that Joel was on pace to win back to back MVPs with one of the most historic scoring seasons of all time. He was DOMINANT in that season before the Warriors game.
And a healthy AD is a top 3 player in the league, what’s the point if it’s not something we will ever see?
I am biased (see flair). I agree that in a world where Embiid was never injured Embiid is better. If Embiid was not injury prone, he would have multiple MVPs. BUT we live in the real world, not a world of imagination and the fact is Embiid has never been healthy.
Invulnerable Zion vs turbo knee embiid vs Gianni’s if he maintained his bulking rate from 2013 to 2018 until now?
I take potential man Ben simmons over all 3, maybe even kobe possessed tatum
Giannis won a CHIP with a little above mid players around him…Embiid has has a host of stars around him and can’t get done
What Can Giannis do that Embiid can’t? Make it past the second round of playoffs. Win a championship.
Get out of the second round
It’s crazy, there’s only been a handful of players 7 foot or taller that could stay relatively healthy
Spurs gotta go all in on Wemby while they can
Play close to 82 games consistently, for starters…
Sure but he’s never healthy so the conversation is irrelevant
What can Giannis do that Embiid can’t? Uh, win a championship as by far the best player on his team?
I mean if we’re just making up Imaginary players, I think 7’0” Steph curry would be the GOAT.
suit up
What can’t he do? Run fast.
I saw them both in person a few weeks apart in Joel’s MVP season and I was more impressed by Embiid. He just controlled the game on a whole different level on offense.
Lol imagine thinking 32 year old Embiid will be healthy
I wouldn’t say it’s not close but Embiid is way more skilled than Giannis offensively but I give Giannis the edge defensively
A not fully 100% Giannis won a championship. Embiid is the only MVP not to reach a conference final. Might break the curse this year though.
lol why does it always have to be “and it’s not close” like, of course it’ll be close, wtf we lying for
Giannis with Embiids whistle is top 5 all time
It’s close. Hard to pick between the two
Both are beasts defensively but Giannis has more range…guard multiple players and is more athletic
Embiid can knock down the 3, hit his free throws at a high clip, has a sick post game and offensively is just a bit better. He also figured out how to pass out of the double team before the injuries really hit him
Overall, I would probably say Giannis because he got the job done, leadership and all, but it’s still close
Win a ring? Make the conference finals? Win a DPOY? Be the greatest player in their franchise history? There’s a good amount that Giannis could and can do that Embiid couldn’t
We’ve only seen, what, like 4 minutes of healthy Embiid, so it might be true
make it out of the second round of the playoffs