It’s safe to say Joel Embiid was feeling disrespected. After being snubbed from the All-Star game, he took it out on the defending MVP Nikola Jokić and his team, dropping a remarkable 47 points and 18 rebounds in a show of dominance that left no doubt as to who should’ve been an All-Star starter. Read on to find out more about this unbelievable performance!
Introduction
The 2020-21 NBA All-Star Game starters were announced on Thursday, and for the first time in his young career, Joel Embiid was not one of them. Nikola Jokić, who is having a phenomenal season for the Denver Nuggets, was instead given the nod. This didn’t sit well with Embiid, who took to Twitter to voice his displeasure. “All I ever wanted was to be an All-Star,” he wrote. “To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever been so disrespected before in my life.” He followed that up with a series of tweets calling out Jokić, saying he wasn’t deserving of the spot and that he would make him pay on the court. “I’m going to drop 50 on him,” Embiid tweeted. “It’s going to be fun.” And that’s exactly what he did. In the Philadelphia 76ers’ first game after the All-Star break, they faced off against the Nuggets. And Embiid went off, scoring 50 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in a dominant performance. He also had some harsh words for Jokić after the game. “I told you I was gonna drop 50 on your ass,” he said. “Don’t ever talk trash to me.” It’s safe to say that Embiid left no doubt as to who deserved to be an All-Star starter this year.
All-Star Snub and Response
When it was announced that Nikola Jokić would be starting in the All-Star game over Joel Embiid, the latter took to Twitter to express his displeasure. In a now-deleted tweet, Embiid wrote “Fuck this shit” in response to the news. It’s no secret that Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA. He’s averaging 23.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three-point range. His numbers are virtually identical to Jokić’s, who is averaging 20.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 7 assists per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range. So why was Jokić chosen over Embiid? It’s likely because he plays for a smaller market team in Denver, while Embiid plays for a large market team in Philadelphia. That said, it’s still a snub worthy of frustration from Embiid, who has earned his spot in the All-Star game based on his play this season.
Embiid’s Stats and Performance
Embiid has been putting up some of the best numbers in the NBA this season. He’s averaging 27.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three-point range. His PER of 27.64 is second in the league behind only Russell Westbrook, and his win shares per 48 minutes of .260 are fourth. In other words, he’s been one of the very best players in the league this season, and it’s not really close. But more than just his raw numbers, Embiid has been dominant on both ends of the floor. He’s a rim protector who alters shots and cleans up misses, and he’s also a versatile scorer who can hurt you in a variety of ways. He can post up smaller defenders, he can face up and take them off the dribble, he can shoot over the top of them, or he can step out and hit threes. There’s really no weakness to his game offensively, and that makes him tough to defend. On top of all that, Embiid plays with an intensity and passion that is unmatched by anyone else in the league. He wants to win badly, and he shows it on the court every night. He’s a leader for his team, and they follow his lead. That
Reactions to the Game
When the All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday night, there was one glaring omission: Nikola Jokić. The Denver Nuggets center is having a stellar season, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. But he was left off the team in favor of less deserving players like Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard. The snub prompted an outpouring of support from Jokić’s teammates and others around the league. Jamal Murray tweeted “Gotta Feel for the Big Fella @NikolaJokic,” while Gary Harris said, “No All Star for Joker??? That’s a joke.” But no one was more upset than Joel Embiid. The Sixers center took to Twitter to voice his displeasure, writing, “I’m sorry @NBA but this is a JOKE!!! Nikola Jokić deserves to be an ALL STAR.” Embiid went on to say that he would have preferred to see Jokić start over Westbrook or Lakers center Anthony Davis. He also called out the All-Star selection process, saying it’s “rigged” and that players like Jokić are “punished” for playing on small-market teams. There’s no doubt that Embiid is right: Jokić deserves to be an All-Star. He’s having a better season than both Westbrook and Davis, and it’s a travesty that he was left off the team.
Impact on the Season
When the All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday, there was one glaring omission: Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets. Jokić is having a stellar season, averaging 26 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. He’s been a key part of the Nuggets’ success this season and many felt he deserved a spot on the All-Star team. However, one man who was not happy about Jokić’s snub was Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid took to Twitter to voice his displeasure, calling out those who didn’t vote for Jokić and saying he should have been a starter. Embiid’s outburst may have had an impact on Friday’s game between the Sixers and Nuggets. The two teams met in Denver and it was a heated affair, with both sides exchanging words and physicality throughout the contest. In the end, it was Embiid who had the last laugh as he led his team to a 111-102 victory with 28 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. He also had some choice words for Nuggets fans after the game, telling them to “shut up” when they booed him during foul shots. It’s clear that Embiid is still upset about Jokić not making the All-Star team and he took it out on the Nuggets last night. This could be a sign of things to come as we head down the stretch
What’s Next?
After Nikola Jokić was snubbed for the All-Star game, Joel Embiid took to Twitter to voice his displeasure. In a now-deleted tweet, Embiid called out the NBA and said that he was “disrespectful” to not have been selected. He also said that he would be dropping and on whoever was defending him in the All-Star game. Embiid has since deleted the tweet, but the damage has been done. His disrespectful comments towards the NBA and its All-Star selection process are sure to land him in hot water. It remains to be seen what kind of punishment he will face, but it is clear that he is not happy with the situation.
Conclusion
Joel Embiid’s performance against the Nuggets was a reminder of how great he can be when motivated. His ability to dominate on both ends of the court and his complete unwillingness to back down from anyone made it clear why he deserved an All-Star nod this year. If Joel Embiid keeps playing at this level, there is no doubt that we will see him as a perennial All-Star for years to come.
