PHILADELPHIA — By now, Joel Embiid has been so candid with his audacious ambitions and so belligerent with his belittling trash talk that he no longer needs to verbalize his motivations or moxie. Embiid would like all of the accolades, with a side of praise and a Shirley Temple with a Maraschino cherry to wash it all down.
The most predictable outcome of the NBA’s slate of Christmas Day games was that Embiid was going to show up and show out with reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in his house and all of the attention of national television audience. That’s why he smiled slyly and responded with a deliberate, almost slow motion, “Nah, just playing my game,” when asked if the presence of Antetokounmpo provided any extra incentive, or rather “juice,” for the matchup.
Of course it did. But Embiid has experienced enough heartache over the past two postseasons, and been made foolish by the reality that the game don’t love nobody. If he pumps out his chest…
