There was a scary moment during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. On a play for the ball, Joel Embiid tripped and accidentally stomped on Grant Williams’ head, unintentionally smashing Williams’ face to the ground.
Joel Embiid unintentionally stomps on Grant Williams’ head while hustling for a loose ball.
He is getting treatment on the bench 🙏
Williams had to come out of the game to get checked on but was good to go to return. After the game, Williams
“I didn’t really feel it until right now, but my nose is swelling a little bit,” Williams told reporters, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “But I didn’t feel it in the game. He apologized and things like that. I know Joel. He’s a great player, a phenomenal player, always great intentions. It was just a bang-bang play, and I just wanted to make sure he knew I was good and we can move on.”
Soon after the play in question, ESPN’s broadcast showed Embiid apologize to Williams for what went down, to which Williams showed no ill will towards the MVP because he knew that it was a basketball play.
Williams confirmed on his personal Twitter after the game that he will be good to go for Game 4.
Joel Embiid May Have Taken Shot at James Harden
After the Sixers lost to the Celtics, Embiid talked about players, including himself, have to show up for the playoffs, which could have been interpreted as a subtle shot at James Harden, who was not efficient in Game 3.
“Players have to show up. I gotta do my job. Other guys, everybody knows their role. They have to do their job. Players have to show up. Obviously, you can’t make any adjustments you want. If they players don’t execute, they don’t show up and we don’t make shots. That’s on us. I’ve got to be better. We’ve all got to be better. We just haven’t been good enough,” Embiid said during his postgame press conference, per Bleacher Report’s Twitter Account.
“Players have to show up. … If the players don’t execute … we don’t make shots, that’s on us.”
Joel Embiid after the Sixers’ Game 3 loss
Some believed that what Embiid said could lead to Harden leaving the Sixers for the Houston Rockets this coming offseason.”Yeah Harden going to Houston,” one user said.
Another believed that Embiid was referring to Harden but added criticism to Harden for his partying in Las Vegas before the series started. “Aka harden has made 4 shots in 2 games. He needs to show up and not be partying in Vegas during the playoffs,” the other user said.
Al Horford Praises Joel Embiid After Winning MVP
After it had been announced that Embiid had won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award for 2023, former teammate Al Horford said that Embiid deserved the award after the season he had for the Sixers.
“Well deserved,” Horford said, per Celtics on NBC Sports Boston. “The guy was great this season, and by far, he was the best player in our league this year, so he deserves the award.”
Al Horford reacts to Joel Embiid winning MVP 🗣️
The Sixers signed Horford in 2019 to take one of the league’s better Embiid defenders away from the Celtics as well as make a fearsome duo in the frontcourt with Horforf and Embiid. The fit proved to be awkward, leading to Horford being traded away to the Oklahoma City Thunder, to which he’d find himself back on the Celtics the year after that.
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Celtics’ Grant Williams Breaks Silence on Joel Embiid Head Stomp