After scoring 33 points and looking like the most dominant player in the league in Game 3, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid really struggled over the last two games of their second-round series against the Toronto Raptors. Embiid scored just 11 and 13 points in Games 4 and 5, respectively, as he played through a nasty illness.
With Philadelphia's back now against the wall, Embiid knows he has to be better:
“It sucks,” Embiid said per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I know I got to do a better job for us to win. I got to do the little things. When I'm needed to score the ball, I got to show up. Setting screens, I got to do a better job of rebounding the ball. So that's on me. … I just got to do more.”
The 7-foot Cameroonian turned in his second consecutive dud in Philly's embarrassing 125-89 loss against the Raptors in Game 5. Embiid was basically non-existent on Tuesday with the Sixers aiming to regain the series advantage. Instead, he laid a goose egg and finished with just 13 points and eight turnovers.
This comes after he had a similarly rough outing in Game 4, where Philly squandered an opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 lead. Embiid finished with just 11 points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Embiid clearly hasn't looked like himself thanks to this illness. The All-NBA center was riding the high of highs in Game 3, bringing out all the celebrations from his bag as the Sixers took control of the series. But it has been downhill from there, as his lack of aggressiveness in Game 4 certainly contributed to the gut-wrenching loss.
Now, they find themselves on the brink of elimination after another mediocre performance from Embiid in an ugly Game 5. Philly still has a chance to send this into a winner-take-all Game 7 with a victory in Game 6 at home.
Joel Embiid will have to be more assertive if the Sixers have any shot of staying alive in these playoffs.
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