Tobias Harris has turned into the new punching bag in Philadelphia. Coming off a night when he shot 6-of-15 from the field, Sixers fans let him hear it with a rousing round of boos. Harris didn’t like it.
He told the crowd to stop clapping for him when he did knock down a bucket in the fourth quarter. Harris – 13-of-41 over his last three games – also encouraged them to keep booing in the first half. After the game, Joel Embiid quickly came to his teammates’ defense and explained the same thing happened to him two years ago. Everything worked out.
“That’s Philly, I love it,” Embiid told reporters. “Like I always say, if you give it you gotta be able to take it, too.”
That’s when the All-Star center shushed the crowd at Wells Fargo Center after hearing boos, then posted a telling Instagram message saying: “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Obviously Embiid worked out his differences with Philly.
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Sixers Have Their Teammates’ Back
Embiid embraced the negativity and used it as fuel to improve during the 2019-20 campaign. The Sixers’ big man has gushed multiple times since about how much he loves playing in front of the unforgiving Philly fans. He loves the passion.
Does Harris feel the same way? He didn’t address the media following Monday’s 133-113 win, but Embiid spoke on his behalf. He confirmed the team has Harris’ back.
“I thought it was nothing,” Embiid said of the back and forth with the fans. “He didn’t make shots today, but I thought he contributed when he was on the floor. Plus or minus is a floor stat, but you look at when he was on the floor, he did a great job.”
Acting head coach Dan Burke ran the first play after halftime for Harris to try and get him going. Harris wound up getting an assist on a successful three-pointer from Embiid. And the Sixers continued to run the plays for Harris all night.
To be fair, Harris finished with a +20 in 35 minutes. He wasn’t making shots but he provided solid defense and filled up the stat sheet with six rebounds and six assists, plus one block. His all-around game helped the Sixers notch their fourth straight win especially with Matisse Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey out.
Embiid is a Human Cheat Code
The Sixers’ official Twitter handle keeps saying it and every night it keeps ringing true: “Joel Hans Embiid is a cheat code.” Embiid continued his strong case for NBA MVP by effortlessly dropping 31 points in 29 minutes while grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out 10 dimes.
Joel Embiid has notched his third career triple-double.
Embiid tonight:
31 PTS / 15 REB / 10 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK
in 29 minutes.
The 7-footer recorded his fourth straight 30-point effort to tie a career-long streak. The 31-point outburst also marked the 85th time Embiid had scored at least 30 points for his career, a stat matched by only seven other players in franchise history: Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Dolph Schayes, Billy Cunningham. Yes, all of those guys are in the Hall of Fame.
“He was not going to let us lose that game,” Burke said of Embiid. “From the get-go, he was good, even when he came in at 4 p.m., with good spirit, and a lot of good energy in that locker room.”
33.7 PPG 10.0 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.5 SPG 54% FG 48% 3PT 85% FT
#JoelEmbiid #NBAAllStar
Joel Embiid Defends Sixers Teammate Amid Familiar Criticism