Joel Embiid suffered a freak injury in the first round that kept him out of Games 1 and 2 against the Miami Heat. He made a triumphant comeback in Game 3 as the Philadelphia 76ers picked up a 99-79 win.

Embiid, who wore a protective mask due to his orbital bone fracture, was asked about the snakebitten career he's had when it comes to injuries.

Via Tim Bontemps:

Joel Embiid, when asked whether he thinks about all the time he’s missed in his career when dealing with injuries like this: “It’s what motivates me to win.”

When he's on the court for the Sixers, Joel Embiid is a top five player in the league and an imposing force for any opponent to deal with on both ends. However, he's been on the injured list far too often throughout his eight-year stay in the NBA. He's only played in the last six after missing the first two years of his career with injury. Embiid has never played in 70 regular season games, either.

But it's those missed opportunities to make an impact that fuel Joel Embiid to make the most of the chances he does have. The Sixers can only go as far as Joel Embiid can take them.