Joel Embiid is having an outstanding season with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year could not even slow him down in Thursday night’s 114-97 win over the Utah Jazz. If you didn’t happen to notice that, Embiid would be more than happy to call attention to it.
Embiid, who went up against Jazz center Rudy Gobert for much of the night, had 23 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots. When asked after the game about his matchup against Gobert, Embiid threw some shade.
Joel Embiid (23 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 blocks) on facing Jazz big man Rudy Gobert: "Oh, I love playing against guys like him. Defensive Player of the Year, I guess." — He made air quotes when he mentioned the award Gobert won. — "I should have gotten that title."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 28, 2018
Embiid cont." "But I love playing against him. He's a great guy, great defender. I have a lot of respect for him. He makes me better every time I play against him. The future matchups are going to be exciting, and I can't wait."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 28, 2018
Gobert and Embiid are two of the best defensive players in the game, with the former averaging 2.1 blocks per game and the latter 1.9. Embiid is also averaging 26.5 points and 13.3 rebounds per game this year, so he has been a tough cover for anyone. While Gobert is known for his defense, he was simply Embiid’s latest victim.
In addition to being one of the best big men in the NBA, Embiid is also one of the most prolific trash talkers. It’s no surprise he wasn’t ready to sing Gobert’s praises after dropping 23 in a blowout win.
