Joel Embiid returning to the court was a triumphant one for the 76ers as they continued on their winning streak. The Cameroonian international has been an integral part of the sixers squad this season and has given many match-winning performances. In fact, he was the frontrunner for the MVP award until he sustained the injury.
Even though the 76ers are at the top of the Eastern Conference, certain defensive frailties started appearing when Embiid was not around. However, as championship-contending sides do, they still found a way to win games. Now with the star center on board, they will look forward to producing more scintillating performances.
Joel Embiid made his presence noted as soon as he stepped onto the court. There was an evident change in the body language of the team as they took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the end, it was the 76ers who walked away with a relatively easy victory. In the post-game press conference, Embiid reflected upon his knee injury.
OH MY GOODNESS JOEL pic.twitter.com/GrrLYh71P7
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 4, 2021
He said, “When I got hurt and was laying on the floor in Washington, honestly, I thought I was done. I thought my season was done. The pain, how bad it was hurting, I just knew that it was something worse than we saw after.”
Embiid continued, “I was just crying and asking myself, ‘Why me? Why does it always happen to me? When everything seems to be going well with the team and myself, something always has to happen.'”
Joel Embiid delivers yet another stellar performance
It was a sterling effort from the Philadelphia 76ers and especially Joel Embiid. The 27-year-old finished the game with 24 points to his name. He also racked up eight rebounds and two assists during the course of the game.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 03: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers catches the ball as Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves
Apart from him, Tobias Harris also performed exceptionally well. In fact, it was Harris who took the game away from the Timberwolves in the opening half. He finished with 32 points, 4 assists, and five rebounds in this game.
The Philadelphia 76ers solidify their summit position in the Eastern Conference. With this win, they also kept the high-flying Brooklyn Nets at bay. Moreover, with stalwarts like Embiid and Simmons in their squad, the 76ers will look forward to performing well in the postseason.
