Joel Embiid was as animated as we have ever seen him during the Philadelphia 76ers’ blowout win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 Thursday night, and his play was the biggest reason his team took back control in the series. While some might have thought his celebrations were a bit excessive, Embiid says he needs to carry himself that way in order to be on his game.
At various points during his 33-point, 10-rebound effort, Embiid ignited the home crowd with some big shows of emotion.
Embiid and the Sixers ran away with Game 3 ???? pic.twitter.com/fEARC06Piv
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 3, 2019
When a reporter asked Embiid about the flamboyant celebrations, he offered an honest response.
#Sixers C Joel Embiid on his celebrations after big plays: pic.twitter.com/9ps07b23hn
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) May 3, 2019
“You know, I need it,” Embiid said. “When I have fun, my game just changes. I’m always told that if I don’t smile during a game, I’m either having a bad game or I’m not into it. I know that to get my game going, I have to have fun on the court.”
While Raptors fans probably didn’t like seeing Embiid celebrate so much, it was a welcome sign for the 76ers. The big man has been battling a knee injury for quite some time now and had an additional issue pop up before Game 2, so getting him back to his dominant self is crucial for Philly’s playoff run. If a few over-the-top celebrations help him stay focused, the Sixers will take it.
