Joel Embiid put together an impressive performance for the Philadelphia 76ers in their 121-109 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas. After the victory, the Sixers star sent a message to the rest of the NBA.
Embiid, who put up 31 points in the game, stated that while people seem to have forgotten about him, he's “going to show up” when his team needs it.
A matchup with an elite team like the Bucks definitely matches the description of a time when a star is needed to step up.
Joel Embiid on a dominant Christmas Day performance in which he led all scorers with 31 pts & contributed to reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo missing more than 18 shots for the first time in his career: “A lot of people forgot who I am. When I’m needed, I’m going to show up.”
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) December 25, 2019
Another message Embiid sent was his desire to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award this season. Last season, he was relatively close to being among the finalists for the honor but finished fourth in total voting.
“The whole season I’ve been humble, but I want to be defensive player of the year,” Embiid said, via Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. “I think tonight showed it. I have to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Through 27 games, Embiid is averaging 23.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His production on the court has been impressive through the ups and downs that the Sixers have experienced throughout the early part of the season.
If the Sixers are going to compete for a championship as they'd like to, they will need Embiid to play at an elite level. He showed exactly what he was capable of achieving against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
Philly is back in action on Friday when they take on the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center.
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