Joel Embiid performance in the Philadelphia 76ers’ play-in game against the Miami Heat was a swinging experience, culminating in a highly positive outcome and managing the bad one in the end by making a clutch finish. Yet, the episode after is in a way even more vital as you begin to feel the doubts of playing postseason games on your shoulders.
Initially, Embiid found himself in the basket donning Miami’s leaden defence, which gave him hard times with offensive possessions, and the Philly team’s fans became utterly disappointed. When his conditioning time in, given the two months of absence due to an injury, seemed not enough for the tempo of playoff basketball, playing especially against a tough opponent like the Heat was observed.
The sequence that won the Sixers the game:
1) Jaquez swipes down on Embiid, gives the Sixers free throws
2) Lowry poke-around steal, Batum saves the ball, Embiid 3 in transition
3) Embiid circus shot and-one off the O board
4) Embiid doubled, finds Oubre for another and-one pic.twitter.com/uk8o2d4INT— Daniel Olinger (@dan_olinger) April 18, 2024
While Embiid was unlucky with his offensive contribution in the whole game, it aroused the suspicion of the fans about his potential capability to lead the team and succeed in the championship. The growing scepticism surrounding his prolonged playoff ineffectiveness only made the situation worse, with fan impatience only growing with further disappointments.
But at the end of the first quarter, the storyline changed drastically, as Joel Embiid sparked a late comeback by putting up 73% of his 21 points and had nine of his game-winning plays to give the Sixers their second win in a row. His courageous act, which saved him from condemnation, ensured that “The Sixers” finished the season postseason and came face to face with “The Knicks.”
Although he loves it, Embiid’s erratic performance last season, made some wonder about whether he was prepared for playoff conditions and whether he would be capable of being on top in the postseason. The Knicks series coming up is only adding to his throb, as now he is required to put up consistent displays to tunnel out the gaping hole in his game and bury all doubts around his performance in the playoffs.
Thus, as the playoff fight approaches, Embiid’s ability to maintain stamina and play under pressure is a matter of keen interest among the fans. He has the advantage over his counterpart on the court, but still, he needs to use the regular season dominance to be taken seriously, not only in it but most especially in the postseason. The Knicks will be the first major threat that will put his worth to the test.
While the psychological impact of Embiid’s late-game heroics was worth every ounce of relief for Sixers fans, the real litmus test of his playoff performance will be experienced in the succeeding series. One can only speculate about the outcome and whether EMBiid will be able to reach its potential as the leader of the championship Philadelphia team.
This article shows fans how both Joel Embiid’s heroic play-in tournament actions against the Miami Heat and how they have started to doubt if he is ready for playoff games have mixed reactions.
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