Joel Embiid finally returned to the floor last night for Game 3 of the playoff match between Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, after he tossed his new protective mask to the floor in the middle of the game, Miami Heat forward Justise Winslow intentionally stepped on it—causing Embiid to vow he’ll “be a nightmare” for the team moving forward.
In case you missed it, here’s the moment in question.
“Little do they know I have about 50 of them,” Embiid said after the Sixers won by 20 points, putting them up 2-1 in the series. “It’s going to take much more than that to get me out of this series. I’m going to be a nightmare for them, too.” Additionally, Embiid claims Winslowtalks a lot of smack while playing, a tactic that apparently doesn’t work on Embiid.
Embiid has had a pretty harrowing few weeks. After suffering a serious orbital bone fracture that could result in permanent damage, he was benched for the first two games of the playoffs. Frustrated, he angrily vented on Instagram about “being babied.” These tribulations made his return all the more cathartic.
Embiid ended up finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in Game 3. Embiid is obviously going to be a problem for Miami, who'll need to find some answers by Saturday when the two teams square up for Game 4.
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