After Giannis Antetokounmpo slammed the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday for forcing him to sit out games, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has followed Antetokounmpo’s cue.
Embiid responded to reporters on Friday when asked about his absence against the Washington Wizards three days earlier:
“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this might be a question for Daryl Morey. … I was caught off guard. … It’s a question for Daryl. I don’t know what’s going on. I just want to play basketball.”
Joel Embiid played on Monday against the Miami Heat but reportedly felt a little ill for Wednesday’s game in Washington. The former MVP said that after the shoot- around, he felt better and wasn’t limited by the training staff. However, he was placed on the inactive list hours before the game.
Without him, the 76ers had no trouble whipping their reeling opponents 153-131. Paul George led the team with 39 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey added 28 points, nine assists and two rebounds. Rookie VJ Edgecombe contributed 23 points, 10 assists and three rebounds.
Despite the lopsided win, Joel Embiid expressed his frustrations after the team sidelined him with approval from Daryl Morey, the 76ers’ president of basketball operations.
Embiid’s comments came hours after Giannis Antetokounmpo called out the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to keep him out of games. Antetokounmpo called the Bucks’ move a “slap in my face” as he only wants to play. The two-time MVP added that he didn’t know what his team plans to do, but emphasized that he didn’t want to be a part of it.
Fans React to Joel Embiid Calling Out Daryl Morey for Sitting Him Out Against Wizards
After Joel Embiid threw Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers under the bus, fans tweeted their reactions. One fan wrote:
“Morey gotta face consequences for his actions.”
Another fan added:
“I just want to play basketball. Sometimes.”
One more fan continued:
“Embiid being that mad that they didn’t let him play against the Wizards is exactly why players aren’t the ones in charge of making these decisions. That would have been dumb.”
Another fan commented:
“Guess it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke.”
One fan tweeted:
“Talk you truth, Joel!”
Embiid continues to deal with injuries this season. He recently missed 13 games between late February and March due to an oblique issue. Once he felt a little ill before the Wizards’ game, the 76ers forced him to sit out.
Still, the team’s franchise cornerstone couldn’t hold back his disappointment, venting his frustrations on the team during an interview. Fans mostly criticized Daryl Morey for not communicating to Embiid what the 76ers wanted for their star big man.
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