Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

76ers Star Flourishing As A ‘Heel’

Joel Embiid is embracing his new role as a heel.

As the first-round series between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers has unfolded, it has been a feisty affair between these bitter rivals. Joel Embiid has become enemy number one with his mixture of foul baiting, flagrant fouls, and elite shot-making. The 76ers star is flourishing as a ‘heel’.

76ers Star Flourishing As A ‘Heel’

For those not familiar with what a heel is, a heel is a term popularized by professional wrestling, which basically means a bad guy. A good heel draws the ire of the audience; a great heel makes the audience hate his guts. So far, the New York faithful hate his guts.

Embiid is having a great playoff series despite playing with a bad knee, migraines, and Bell’s palsy. He is averaging 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game this playoffs. His points and assists tallies are playoff career-highs. He has three double-doubles and recorded a triple-double in his team’s 112-106 comeback-overtime victory.

Earlier yesterday, he had to miss the morning shootaround due to migraines. He would be listed as questionable for the all-important game, as he has been throughout the series. With the Sixers staring elimination down 3-1 on the road, they needed the reigning MVP to have a chance. It was not a vintage performance; he shot just 7-of-19 from the field. He was sloppy at times, recording nine turnovers. But he grinded out 19 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, and five blocks to help his team live to fight another day.

New York City loves its team more than most fanbases. Still, when an opposing player is putting up impressive numbers, there should be respect. Not love but acknowledgment of the monumental effort being put in. So then, why is there neither love nor respect but a passionate dislike for Joel? Well, it’s a mixture of two factors.

Foul Embiid

Both factors revolve around fouling. The first is Joel Embiid’s penchant for drawing fouls and heading to the free-throw line. Even if we pretend that some of the calls he gets are not dubious, it’s hard to imagine how it won’t rub off on the New York faithful the wrong way.

In the playoffs Embiid is averaging 13.0 free-throw attempts per game, leading the league. The next guy on the list Devin Booker is all the way back at 10.3 Interestingly, Jalen Brunson ranks third with 9.4 free-throw attempts per game. Obviously, the Madison Square Garden faithful can’t hate their team’s alpha. It helps that Brunson is so shifty so they can talk themselves into why he gets so many foul shots.

The second factor is the flagrant fouls Embiid has committed on Mitchell Robinson and Brunson.

 

These flagrant fouls will alienate any fanbase from an opposing player. Therefore, it was no surprise to hear the profanities thrown at him from the stands.

On the Chin

To Joel’s credit, he’s taking it all in stride. He seems to even be enjoying it.

“It’s not hostile. I love New York. New York is my favorite city in the world. I have a place here for the past five years. I just love New York,” said the Philadelphia star. “And then the (Knicks) fans, when you play against a team they’re always gonna pick that guy. And they seem to have picked me, which is fine. I love it. If I gotta be the punching bag and keep hearing a lot of ‘F Embiid,’ that’s ok. I love it.

“I wish I was myself. It usually gets me going in those situations because you want to put yourself in those situations and kind of shut them up. But I think as long as you keep your basketball (it’s fine). Man, they’ve been doing a great job just supporting their team. They’ve been amazing. You can’t (slam) them. That’s why they’re the Knicks; they get hyped about everything and they’ve been doing a fantastic job.”

As the 76ers star flourishes as a ‘heel’, the Sixers will be looking to ride him and Tyrese Maxey to a victory at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday to tie the series up at 3-3.

Frederick Okocha

Frederick Okocha

Freddie is obsessed with the NBA. He enjoys watching a game of basketball as much as playing a pickup game. Player comparison: plays like Adrian Dantley in his prime.

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