Earlier Tuesday night, NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley suggested that Joel Embiid had a bad first half because he was distracted after losing the MVP vote.
“Joel Embiid is so distracted, in my opinion, by this MVP thing,” Barkley explained. “He’s not there tonight. He’s not being aggressive. He’s throwing the ball away.
“When you’re mad about something, it can work both ways. It’s working the wrong way for Joel Embiid tonight.”
Barkley forgot to mention the number of injuries Embiid has suffered during this playoff run – including a fractured bone in his face. Of course, fans came after Chuck for his suggestion.
“Charles Barkley a former Sixer thinks Joel Embiid had his ‘head in his a**’ cause of the…MVP vote?” one fan asked. “But not the fractured face that just got slammed, the torn thumb, or recent concussion? Elite analysis!”
“Joel Embiid playing with like 20 injuries and Charles Barkley thinks he’s distracted about the MVP,” one fan said.
“charles barkley accusing Embiid of being distracted like there isn’t a literal throbbing crack in his skull,” said another fan.
Embiid added 11 points in the third quarter, but the 76ers aren’t anywhere near being competitive in this game tonight. With just under 11 minutes to play, Miami holds a 90-66 lead.