It’s been a rough stretch for Joel Embiid. Despite winning the Olympic Gold medal, the Philadelphia 76ers star is facing more backlash than praise these days. Embiid’s history with injuries has kept him from consistently leading his team deep into the playoffs. In a recent effort to stay healthy, he announced he’ll be skipping back-to-back games this season, a decision that sparked controversy. Many legends of the game have criticized the move, but now, even fans are piling on—thanks to a tweet from Kendrick Perkins on LeBron James.

Perkins, never one to shy away from sharing his opinion, tweeted after the Lakers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, “Old Senior Citizen Bron is putting on a MF Clinic right now on a Back to Back!!! God Bless America.” The Los Angeles Lakers continue to roll, adding another win to their unbeaten start under JJ Redick’s coaching thanks to a 131-127 victory over the Kings. And LeBron James had a night to remember.

The King notched a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Alongside Anthony Davis, LeBron helped the Lakers (3-0) extend their unbeaten streak, marking the best start the franchise has had since the 2010-11 season when they went 8-0. So how did this all come to Embiid?

In the comment section, while many fans rallied behind LeBron, applauding his longevity, others quickly used the moment to take a jab at the 76ers star, questioning why he couldn’t play back-to-back games when LeBron could at his age.

Fans mock Joel Embiid’s absence after Kendrick Perkins’ tweet

The Lakers’ win, fueled by LeBron’s outstanding performance, had fans buzzing. One fan summed up the sentiment perfectly, saying, “Gotta love that dedication, even on a back-to-back! God bless indeed! 🙌🏀” Another boldly added, “NOBODY was is or will be this good at 39 YEARS OLD.” Over the last three games, LeBron has averaged 34.5 minutes, 18.5 points, 6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, shooting a solid 48.3% from the field. Not bad for a 39-year-old! But soon, the conversation shifted toward Joel Embiid.

One fan pointedly commented, “If the oldest, most accomplished player in the league can play back-to-back games, every player in the league should be able to.” Another chimed in with a jab, “But Joel gotta sit out, right?” NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley didn’t hold back either while discussing Embiid’s absence a few days ago.

On TNT’s Inside the NBA, Barkley expressed his frustration, “You cannot say as a leader of that team, I’m not gonna play certain games. That’s not the way to start the season.” Shaq agreed, adding, “The league isn’t that physical for him to say that he’s a picking popper.”

As fans and former players continued piling on Embiid, one sarcastically tweeted, “@JoelEmbiid is watching right now and he can’t believe his eyes. He might be out 5 more games just knowing LeBron is playing back-to-back.” Even NBA legend Kevin Garnett didn’t mince his words on his Ticket & The Truth show, saying, “Back-to-backs are part of the f**ing season. 82 games, man. That’s what the f**ing job calls for.” It wasn’t just Garnett. One more fan didn’t hold back, writing, “Meanwhile bums like Joel Embiid disrespecting the game.”

Despite the wave of criticism, some came to Embiid’s defense. Stephen A. Smith, on First Take, reminded viewers of Embiid’s long history of injuries, arguing, “I don’t understand how they can have a problem, considering all the injuries he sustained.” He added, “For Joel Embiid… he shows up and will bust your ass.” Nonetheless, Embiid might continue facing this backlash, especially if a 39-year-old continues defying the odds.