The Philadelphia 76ers crashed out of the Playoffs in Game 7 as the Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum smoked them with a 51-point performance. MVP Joel Embiid failed to fire on Sunday afternoon despite his consistent performance throughout the postseason. Moreover, the Cameroonian star faced a lot of heat from the NBA world for his statement involving James Harden and his teammates after the disappointing exit. Apart from fans, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard also joined the bandwagon and took a dig at Embiid.
The Sixers star had a consistent Semifinal series with a steady average of 25.5 points and three games with 30+ points. Harden and Embiid single-handedly took over the offensive load of the Philadelphia side. However, the duo failed to deliver in the series decider as the 7 ft. star dropped only 15 points with 8 rebounds and Harden only had 9 points.
Joel Embiid took a dig at his own teammates
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After the disappointing exit from the playoffs, Joel Embiid addressed the press and took up questions. The Sixers star grabbed fans’ attention with his statement, highlighting his team’s overall performance. Embiid said, “Me and James [Harden], we can’t win alone. That’s why basketball is played five-on-five. We need everybody to find ways to be better.”
However, the star’s statement didn’t sit well with fans, as it lacked accountability for the team’s loss. Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard had a one-word response to it. Lillard took to his Twitter and retweeted Embiid’s statement and wrote, “Huh?”
Huh ? https://t.co/asvJnAzHlr
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 15, 2023
In response to the statement, a fan said, “What a terrible thing to say.”
This isn’t the first occasion where Embiid took a dig at his own teammates. After the Game 3 loss against the Celtics, Embiid made a similar statement during the press conference. He said, “I think, players have to show up… they have to do their job. Players have to show up.”
Fans clapped back at Embiid
The fans swarmed the social media comments section, attacking the star for his statement. Following are some reactions from fans.
“Take some credibility, y’all played awful”
“Their duo combined for 24”
“What a terrible thing to say after you go 5/18 with 15 points”
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“You two played horribly in the most important game lol”
“Lmao that’s your MVP”
Philadelphia had their third straight Playoffs Game 7 loss on Sunday. Moreover, the team had a 3-2 lead and still lost the series. Will the streak result in any change in the Sixers’ roster? Well, fans have to wait for the official announcement.
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What do you make of Joel Embiid’s statement without accountability for his team’s playoff exit on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below.