The last thing the Philadelphia 76ers would want is a locker room tussle. Unfortunately, the Friday night game against the Detroit Pistons paved the way for that as well. Moreover, it wasn’t a heated back-and-forth behind closed doors but an ugly altercation out in the open, in front of fans and live cameras. Importantly, it was the controversial man once again, Joel Embiid. The 30-year-old and ace guard Kelly Oubre Jr. locked horns at the courtside, leaving the rest of the team in shock.

Around the 2nd minute in the third quarter, the Sixers finally had some momentum, making a 33-23 run in the quarter. At the time, Kelly and Embiid chased Malik Beasley as he went on to drop a layup off a fastbreak pass. The big man wasn’t impressed with the guard’s effort to stop Beasley, as he instantly raised his hands in disbelief.

The Sixers called for a timeout. Something inevitable, but it gave the duo a space for an argument. Straight after the whistle, Joel Embiid walked right behind Kelly Oubre and discussed the last play. It instantly turned into a heated debate.

The visual of the argument prompted that the Cameroonian big was upset with Oubre casually running behind Beasley at the fast-break. However, the 29-year-old guard didn’t seem to take the criticism lightly, as he aggressively argued when Embiid tried to settle it.

In the end, Tyrese Maxey had to step in and clear some air. Guess what? The City of Brotherly Love was back again as the duo hugged it out before the buzzer.

Well, did the argument help them win the game? No, it didn’t. The third-quarter flurry didn’t move the needle, as the team suffered an embarrassing 112-125 loss against Cade Cunningham-less Pistons.

Are the Sixers playing a big gamble with Joel Embiid?

Nothing has gone the Philly side’s way this season. They roped in an All-Star, Paul George, to form a lethal union. Before it could even start, both PG and Embiid were recovering from their respective injuries. With the ex-Clippers forward being more silent with the ball than ever before, the team barely received any support from the veterans.

On top of it, Joel Embiid engaged in several controversial affairs. Notably, he shoved down a columnist inside the locker room after a disagreement with the piece written by him mentioning his son and late brother while criticizing his fitness and professionalism. The league slapped him with suspension. While everyone in the league let that slide, Embiid continued to make the headlines with his injury absence.

So, he has missed 36 games this season, and the team has a 12-24 record in his absence. And if that’s not enough, just the other day, after the Luka Doncic trade, Embiid cracked a joke when a reporter asked how he found the rhythm early in the game despite his absence. He said, “I was scared I’d get traded,” leaving the room to giggle.

Even though it was said in a lighter spirit, it’s indeed an expensive joke to crack when the team is struggling to find its footing. On top of this mess, he engaged in a heated debate with his own teammate tonight.

Where will this all lead to? Is Joel Embiid dragging the team down with him? Or will he fix it all with his playoff performance? Let us know in the comments.