"I think Shaq would have fits trying to guard him" - Jay Williams claims Joel Embiid would get the better of yesteryear Shaquille O'Neal

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are slowly but surely making their way back to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Despite a loss to the Miami Heat, where James Harden was rested, they are certainly on track to challenge for the best record in their conference.

The 76ers’ incredible performance this season has mainly been due to All-Star center Joel Embiid. Embiid’s spectacular form pushes him neck-and-neck with reigning MVP Nikola Jokic for the NBA’s top individual award. His dominating campaign has been so impressive that comparisons to legendary center Shaquille O'Neal are starting to become more valid.

Former NBA player and ESPN analyst Jay Williams would have none of that comparison, though. Williams considers Embiid to be significantly better than O'Neal and opined:

“I think Shaq would have fits trying to guard him. Shaq wouldn’t be able to guard him! I would put him on the perimeter all day long... He was an athlete, but still. I know scouting reports back when he was a young Shaq when they would just string him out on the perimeter coz he had a hard time guarding pick and rolls.”

The hypothetical matchup would have been one for the ages. If Embiid wins the scoring title, he’ll be the first true center to win the crown since O'Neal won it more than twenty years ago. It’ll be a battle that pits two of the most athletic and skilled big men the NBA has seen in recent years.

Jay Williams’ analysis of Shaquille O'Neal potentially struggling against Joel Embiid has a few loopholes, though.

Young Shaq was an athlete that was scary to go up against. Embiid is also more skilled as the game has evolved since O'Neal last laced up a pair of basketball sneakers. There’s no way to say the NBA great would not have developed a better perimeter game, given his speed and athleticism.

The 90s and early 2000s were Shaquille O'Neal's era, while this one is Joel Embiid’s. They are both once-in-a-generation talents that basketball fans have enjoyed and will enjoy.

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Joel Embiid’s partnership with James Harden will be put to test in the postseason

James Harden's arrival has made the Philadelphia 76ers more dangerous than ever. [Photo: New York Post]

The Philadelphia 76ers have been on an incredible run since the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade. They have been 5-1 since “The Beard” joined the team and are looking like a legit threat to come out on top of the East.

Philly, at 8-2 in their last 10 games, are the hottest team in the NBA together with the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves.

As good as they have been in the last few games, it’s still just a small sample size of what they can truly do. The regular season is only a stepping stone to the playoffs, which will determine how good they will be.

Jay Williams had a very justifiable question regarding the Philadelphia 76ers’ impressive dynamic duo:

“I don’t really care what the hell James Harden, Joel Embiid do during the regular season, Key [Keyshawn Johnson]. I wanna see when they get punched in the mouth during the playoffs, how this team handles adversity together.”

Williams added:

“When things get rough, people can make the argument that there is a tendency for James Harden to check out sometimes, I wanna see when that moment comes who James Harden is in the face of that moment.”

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey finally got the player he wanted after a lengthy standoff with former Philly point guard Ben Simmons. It remains to be seen how Harden's usual regular-season success will translate into the playoffs with a player like Embiid alongside him.