Joel Embiid has been one of the best big men in the NBA over the last few years but that hasn't stopped him from receiving a ton of criticism from both fans and pundits. Over the last month or so, Embiid has been inconsistent and the fans are starting to get annoyed. This past week, rumors began circulating about whether or not Embiid could be traded in the summer and, once again, the fans were sent into a tailspin.
Last night, Embiid was booed in front of the hometown crowd and it was clear he was on a mission. Embiid scored 26 points in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers and afterward, he spoke about the love-hate relationship he has with the fans in Philadelphia.
“Felt great. They be going at me; I went back at them. We’re all human beings. If I can take it, then everyone else can take it too. So we move on, we learn from it, we move on. I gotta do a better job. They gotta do a better job," Embiid said per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I understand where that comes from, but then again, if you dish it, you gotta be able to take it back. But at the end of the day, like I said in my location last night, it’s all love. I love my city. I been here for a long time now. We have a special relationship, and I’m happy to be here. I can’t wait for the future, especially this year. I think we can accomplish something great.”
With less than 30 games to play in the regular season, expect Embiid and the Sixers to be one of the frontrunners coming out of the East. Perhaps they're the only team that could beat the Milwaukee Bucks at this point.