Bill Simmons thinks Luka hasn't reached his ceiling yet, unlike Embiid: "I feel like there's another level for him to get"

Joel Embiid has done his best to help the Philadelphia 76ers get out of the rut in the first round of the Playoffs. Unfortunately, his best efforts have only led to one win against three defeats to the Knicks.

In contrast, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are playing in a close series with the Los Angeles Clippers, tied at two games apiece. For Bill Simmons , these two playoff runs have led him to say that he feels that Embiid has hit his ceiling as a player while he still sees Luka growing into an even better player.

“You know what? You all saw Luka, he was banged up, he needs to get in better shape, and there’s another level he could go to in the Playoffs,” the veteran sports writer said on 'The Bill Simmons' Podcast. “I don’t think it’s an Embiid situation, where it’s like this might be who Embiid is. Luka, I feel like there’s another level for him to get to that he just hasn’t gotten to yet.”

Luka is a playoffs riser

Every time Doncic has played in the playoffs, he has elevated his game to new heights. The NBA's first look into "Playoff Luka" was when he stood out against the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2020 postseason in the Bubble. The Mavericks lost that series in six games, but it was a coming-out party for the Slovenian as he cemented himself as the best player between both teams.

Since that breakout, Doncic has never stepped off the gas. Overall, Luka has averaged 32.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game during the Playoffs, a significant jump from his regular season stats.

Despite performing at this level, Luka still feels like he has untapped potential. That is how good Doncic is and why he is seen as one of the best players in the league today and in the long term.

Embiid plateaus during the playoffs

Joel performs well in the postseason, but it does not match his regular season production. Embiid averages 27.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest in the 82-game season, but he struggles in the playoffs

During the postseason, Embiid’s averages dip to 24.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. That is a significant dip in production, which has led to the Sixers having mediocre performances. Philly has gotten past the first round multiple times, but when it comes to the second round, Joel has failed to lead his team to victory.

The Luka vs. Joel debate

With the playoffs being a significant metric people use to measure success, Luka has been superb, reaching the Conference Finals in 2022. That is the furthest either player has come, leading to more people seeing Doncic as the better postseason performer.

It is also a matter of how versatile both players are, as Embiid is more of a scorer and paint defender. He is not the same as Luka, a proven scorer and an elite playmaker, a skill set that made Allen Iverson label him the NBA’s next face .

Playmaking has helped him elevate his game by maximizing the rest of his squad. The passing makes everyone a threat, punishing teams for doubling Luka on the defensive end.

Simmons makes a meaningful point with his assessment of Luka and Joel, but in the meantime, both players are still in the playoffs. Doncic has the likelier chance to advance with a 2-2 series rather than Embiid, who must mount a comeback from 3-1 down to win the series against New York.

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