Sixers star Joel Embiid feel the timing of his MVP coronation wasn't exactly the best.
Prior to Game 3 Friday in Philadelphia, Embiid was presented with the MVP award following an impressive regular season campaign. With the series tied at 1-1 and Philly fans pumped up, it could have been the perfect precursor to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Unfortunately for the Sixers, they ended up losing 114-102 and while Embiid feels the MVP award ceremony didn't affect him — especially as he performed well with 30 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks — he definitely feels it was a distraction and could have happened at another time.
“I thought I got into the game and let the game come to me and not force anything, not play off of my emotions, I thought I was fine the whole week,” Embiid was quoted as saying by Philly Voice. “I don't think it affected me, but all this attention I feel like it can be a distraction, and I just feel like this type of stuff [can] happen in another time.
“You got that whole week between the regular season and the playoffs, right before the playoffs you can do something like that.”
Embiid certainly makes a good point.
In previous years, the MVP was usually announced after the playoffs while last year, Nikola Jokic was announced as and given the award after the Denver Nuggets were eliminated in the first round against the Golden State Warriors. That said, comments like this won't do Embiid any favours from his critics or even Sixers fans.
Game 4 takes place Sunday in Philadelphia as Embiid and company will look to even the series at 2-2 — with no distractions this time.
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