Philadelphia -- Last postseason, Joel Embiid made Neemias Queta's life on the court miserable. His dominance in the final three games between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers swung the series. It also sent Queta to the bench.
To the latter's credit, he was one of Boston's best players in Game 7. He scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Months later, he got to test his offseason work against that same nemesis.
Embiid's foot injury needs noting. He looked far less confident than when the Celtics had no answers for him in the playoffs. However, he also ran into an opponent who continues to evolve his skill set.
How Neemias Queta bested Joel Embiid
The Lisbon, Portugal, native was an unsung hero in Boston's 123-101 victory in the City of Brotherly Love. His stat line was pedestrian: 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. His performance was anything but.
As Jayson Tatum dominated off the ball and bent the Sixers' defense with his gravity, the Celtics' starting center was delivering dimes. A prime example came as Baylor Scheierman broke backdoor because Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was top-locking him. With Embiid lifted, guarding Queta, the latter zipped a bounce pass with laser-like precision to Scheierman for a layup.
The 27-year-old also registered 3 screen assists, tied for the most in the matchup. It was another example of his playmaking, as he routinely created scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Queta spent the offseason adding new layers to his game and strengthening others. He focused on punishing mismatches and making more plays with the ball in his hands. That growth has been evident. It was again in this rivalry clash.
How did Neemias Queta do defending Joel Embiid?
The former league MVP finished with 16 points, but he shot 2/9 from the field. It's a continuation of struggles for someone who's battling an injury and shooting below 38 percent this season.
And while Embiid earned 13 free throws, more than double the second-most anyone had and 11 more than anyone on Boston, he didn't draw one foul from Queta.
That was the primary issue plaguing the five-year veteran last postseason. Between reaching for a strip after the Sixers secured the rebound and difficulties down low against a crafty seven-time All-Star, it was difficult to keep him on the floor. Even before Embiid's arrival, it was a problem throughout the series.
Tuesday, Queta was disciplined. He had only one foul. He wasn't abandoning his assignment in an attempt to block a shot. The consequence for that is often an offensive rebound, lob, or put-back. Instead, he kept Embiid quiet and helped limit the hosts to three offensive rebounds.
It spoke to a strong two-way showing from Queta that helped the Celtics move into first place in the Eastern Conference.
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