Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid had his imprints all over the team's close win over the Charlotte Hornets. The 24-year old center came up big late for the Sixers as Embiid says that his teammates call him ‘Clutch' for a reason.
Sporting News' Tom Webber wrote about the Sixers' one-point win last night, including Embiid's comments on his impressive performance.
Asked what was going through his mind in those late moments, Embiid said with a smile: “Gotta make them. They call me Clutch for a reason, so gotta make them.
“In practice they call me Clutch. I've still yet to show it in a game; tonight I felt like I did a better job of that, but that's my job. I've got to step up when there's an opportunity.”
“I can use power, I can use finesse. Last year in the last-minute situations I struggled a lot, and I feel I've been doing a better job. Still got a lot to show and still got a lot to improve on, so I'm excited.”
Embiid's monstrous stat line of 42 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks does not give enough praise on how stellar he was during the game's crucial stretches. The Cameroonian All-Star tied the game with a contested three-pointer in regulation, ultimately forcing overtime and the win.
It was the second 40-point performance of Embiid this season. Coming into the NBA as a defensive center, Embiid is now the second-best scorer in the league with 28.8 points per game.
Embiid and the Sixers look to improve their 8-5 record when they go on the road to face the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.
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