Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer emphasizes the necessity for Joel Embiid to maintain his resilience exhibited in Game 3 if the Sixers aim to stand a chance in their series against New York. Despite enduring the discomfort of his surgically treated left knee and the challenges accompanying a mild bout of Bell’s palsy, Embiid achieved a career-high playoff score of 50 points in Thursday’s pivotal triumph.
With a two-day break before the series recommences on Sunday, Embiid is embracing the rigors of playoff basketball, regardless of the physical hurdles he must surmount. He expressed his determination, stating, “I want to play as much as possible. I only have about, maybe, eight years left. So I have to enjoy this as much as possible and I want to win. I’m just trying to keep pushing. I’m not going to quit. If it’s on one leg, I’m still going to go out there and try, but that’s not an excuse. Got to keep playing better, and better, and better.”
Post-Game 3, Embiid described Bell’s palsy as “an unfortunate situation,” detailing to reporters, including Tim Bontemps of ESPN, that it commenced with migraine headaches shortly before Philadelphia’s play-in game last week. He explained the condition’s effects, including occasional blurred vision and the need for eye drops to prevent dryness.
Regarding the Knicks’ complaints about officiating after Game 3, Kelly Oubre responded, as reported by Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. Oubre dismissed claims of a Flagrant 1 foul committed by Embiid during the game and emphasized a focus on basketball rather than threats of retaliation. “It’s like, let’s just hoop,” Oubre expressed during practice. “Let’s go out there and play hard and nobody’s gonna fight. This ain’t WWE. So at the end of the day, stand on the stuff that’ll say so we’ll see tomorrow how they react.”
An internal investigation by Philadelphia police is underway to determine if Oubre received preferential treatment following his car accident early Tuesday morning, according to Michael J. Babcock of TMZ Sports. Despite being accused of running a red light and colliding with another car, Oubre wasn’t cited or subjected to a sobriety test or breathalyzer.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes Buddy Hield’s limited playtime in Game 3 and suggests he may have been supplanted in the rotation by Cameron Payne. Hield remained benched after the first quarter, while Payne contributed 11 points and three assists in almost 16 minutes of play. Hield’s performance has been underwhelming since his acquisition from Indiana, and Pompey speculates that the Sixers may prefer Marcus Morris, who was traded to San Antonio in a three-team deal.
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