On Sunday afternoon, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a pivotal NBA playoff matchup with the Boston Celtics. After dropping Game 3, they needed to pull out all the stops to avoid going down 3-1 in the series.
Thanks to incredible performances from both the team’s stars, Philly was able to steal a victory in overtime. James Harden hit a game-winning three in the final moments to cap off another 40-point game. Embiid was not far behind him with 34 points to go along with 13 rebounds.
As everyone knows, Embiid is battling an LCL sprain that happened in the first round against the Brooklyn Nets. With a brace on, the newly crowned MVP has been able to join his team back on the floor.
“The other day was my first time really going up and down,” Embiid said. “Tonight, playing a lot of minutes kind of got to me towards the end. Got it back in overtime and started being aggressive again. Obviously, had no lift with the brace and all.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Boston Celtics Updates
Following the Game 4 win, Embiid opened up on his play and health. He was not happy with his overall showing but credited those around him for making big plays all game.
“But you know, we made the plans when we needed them,” Embiid continued. “P.J., a big and-one offensive rebound. Obviously, the James shot. They made a lot of tough shots all night. I thought we stuck with it. But that’s been us all season long.
“Just sticking together, fighting through anything — being down five with two minutes left — that’s huge for us,” Embiid explained. “We know we didn’t play our best. And I was terrible tonight. I gotta be better. And I will be better.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Boston Celtics Updates
Embiid has always set high standards for himself, so this is nothing new. As the leader of the team, he wants to do everything possible to carry the 76ers to victory. If 34 and 13 is a ‘terrible’ night for the All-Star center, there is no telling what kind of performance he might put on as this series starts to get interesting.
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