If you don't want Embiid going to the line so much, play fundamental defense and stop fouling so much. Embiid, Giannis, Lebron, etc draw fouls because they are smart and aggressive.
Do you really think it is that simple? We really don't have a guy on our roster that can match up with a 270 lb big guy. I say that as huge big Rob Williams fan. You can try all you want and play fundamentally you're still not going to get the close calls in these match ups because their stars and the league spends a lot of money marketing them and want them to do well.
Fundamental defense, and stop fouling so much. Do you think these guys want to sit? You could get down in your defensive stance and bend your knees and your going to get knocked around and fouls called with these guys. Smart is one of the best at playing these types because he gets into their space and flops on contact. Rob does not possess these skills. You've got to sacrifice quite a bit of your body to guard these types or be stronger than them to hold their space. We don't have that guy and I love Rob at the Five. All the fundamentals in the world does not change that fact.
They force the officials to make the foul calls.
This line of argument falls apart when we all see phantom fouls on these guys to a large degree than the rest of the league.
Our current players and coach are just happy to shoot jumpers. If you want to look back several years, all 5'9" 185lb IT4 shot 5.2 (in 26 MPG), 6.6 and 8.5 FTAs in successive seasons. The most Tatum and Brown FTAs have shot are 4.7 and 4
How many times have you seem them drive and get knocked down with no calls. I see it a lot. They are not treated the same as the above subsidized guys. The NBA has always had star calls. I will use Steph Curry as an example
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/steph-curry-fta-per-game5.5 FTAs per game more than our guys and even more perimeter orientated. Trae Young is a jump shooter and shoots 8.5 FTA. Beal shoots 8 FTA
PG
https://www.teamrankings.com/nba/player-stat/free-throws-attemptedSo it is not always about being perimeter guys. I think this is a false narrative. Brown and Tatum get almost no respect from the refs. I know people state they complain but all those stars do too and they get the calls. I am not saying we lost because of the refs, Philly was the better more physical team. But it is sheer naivety to think stars do not get calls in the NBA. There are massive marketing dollars typed up in these assets and money runs the world.
Embiid has been helped since the begining of his career as he shot 7.87 FTAs. The same was true of LeBron. These guys also could be called for pushoffs, dropping the shoulder and like about every plays but don't because they are stars. When Tatum does this stuff the refs drop the hammer on them.
Embiid is having an MVP level season. He is just coming back after sitting out for 3 weeks due to a bone bruise. Hence the knee brace and his sluggishness. Prior to that the talk was that he was in excellent condition this season, at least for him.
I know, but did you see that last night? He looked heavy and was laboring. Mark my words the wheels could come off that bus any second. It has always been a problem for him and it will continue to do so. Doc plays his guys a lot and it might hurt them down the road as his knee is balky at best.