The Philadelphia 76ers dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the New York Knicks in a blowout, 137-98.
Joel Embiid had a rough night on the court, but what he said after the game stirred up just as much controversy.
Former NFL player Tiki Barber did not hold back one bit.
Tiki Barber Tears Into Joel Embiid
GettyJoel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers
On the Evan and Tiki podcast, Barber went completely off on Embiid after the Sixers star accused Knicks guard Mikal Bridges of playing dirty during Game 1.
Barber, a former elite NFL running back who once played through a broken arm, had zero sympathy.
“If it was that bad, don’t play. If it’s gonna hurt, don’t give him any ideas to physically be hurt. Don’t play,” Barber said. “You play hurt — you have to — especially when it means something to you. You don’t complain about it. You just don’t. Because if you do, it’s like give me sympathy… That’s just weak. That’s like a crime against sports honor.”
That is a hard quote. Barber is not wrong that elite athletes are expected to play through pain without broadcasting it but calling out a guy who battled back from a torn meniscus and appendectomy surgery all in one season feels a little harsh.
Still, Embiid’s decision to publicly call out Bridges gave critics exactly the opening they needed.
Joel Embiid’s Performance and Injury Troubles
GettyJoel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers Vs Knicks
Embiid came into this series carrying a right hip contusion, which he sustained late in the Sixers’ Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics.
Despite that, he suited up for Game 1 but it clearly was not his night.
He finished with just 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting, adding four rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes as the Sixers got blown out badly.
To his credit, Embiid averaged 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists against Boston, including a massive 34-point, 12-rebound performance in Game 7.
He is clearly capable of being dominant, which is exactly why his quiet Game 1 and his postgame comments caught so much attention. The Sixers need the real Embiid to show up in Game 2 — not the version getting blown out and pointing fingers.
Why the Knicks Remain Philadelphia’s Biggest Problem
GettyKnicks are a serious issue for 76ers.
Sixers players may not only find the Knicks’ physically challenging match-ups, but also extremely distressing on a structural level. Defensively, New York keeps pointing out things that are going wrong with Philadelphia’s team construction.
The main issue is that the Knicks do not just win over the Sixers, but they also, in a way, mentally destroy them. In the very first game, Jalen Brunson scored 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting in only 31 minutes against the Sixers.
Rebounding has been one of the things that has given the Sixers a headache all through the season as they have been continuously losing to the Knicks also in this department.
Unfortunately, it is one of the harsh realities that if the Sixers do not improve their defensive rebounding, pick-and-roll coverages, and prevent Embiid from fading away in big moments, then the Knicks will likely take over this particular game.
In fact, the first game was not a warning; rather, it was a proof of a problem the Sixers have been ignoring.
76ers’ Joel Embiid’s Injury Complaints Draw Massive Backlash After Game 1