For the second time in as many games, All-Star center Joel Embiid was booed during player introductions by his own fanbase.
The last few weeks have been filled with rumors of unhappiness in the Philadelphia 76ers locker room, and the fans in Philly have seemingly decided Embiid is the root of the issues. After a few social media posts where Embiid indicated his frustrations with the team, on top of what seems to be a lackluster effort on the court at times, Philadelphia has let the big man know that they are aware of his antics.
The Sixers and their fans know that having Embiid fully committed to the team is a complete necessity to make any sort of run at postseason success. And although Philadelphia fans have a reputation for being impatient with players and teams, it seems the boos may have actually pushed Embiid to give them a star effort.
In Tuesday night’s win over the LA Clippers, Embiid finished with 26 points and nine rebounds. He played a physical game in the paint, getting to the free-throw line 13 times. He also was able to rile up the crowd with a small shoving match with Clippers forward Marcus Morris followed by a huge block on Morris during the following possession. Embiid may have entered the game to booing, but the 76ers were all smiles and cheers on his way off the court.
In the Philadelphia win, Ben Simmons put up an impressive triple-double performance with 26 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds. Josh Richardson added 21 points of his own. The Sixers were able to advance their league-leading home record to 25-2, and look to right the ship more against the Nets Thursday with Embiid leading the charge.
