Adrian Fedkiw
Frustrated about his minutes restriction, Joel Embiid called it “f-cking bulls-it” when asked about it on Tuesday.
Then he went and played a lot more than expected in the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener.
Embiid, who was supposed to play around 16 minutes, saw the floor for 26:57. He had 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting to go with 13 rebounds, but the Washington Wizards held off the Sixers 120-115 on Wednesday.
Embiid with the block on Wall and Simmons is off to the races at the other end. We'll be seeing a lot of this! pic.twitter.com/EHoiEFKoqD
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) October 19, 2017
Embiid spoke about his limitations following the game.
We got to stop calling that `minute restrictions.’ I think the plan is to just get out there, play, see how I feel. There’s going to be some games I’m going to be sore and I’m going to be tired. If you’re tired, get out because injuries happen when you’re more tired.
Embiid played less than 20 minutes just twice last season during his 31 games played.
And That was 32 career games…. Felt great out there #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/RodTdUCHhq
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) October 19, 2017
The No. 1 overall picks the past two NBA Drafts, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz, respectively, made their regular season debuts. Simmons did not disappoint, putting up 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Fultz poured in 10 points off the bench.
Simmons' first points come on a left wing drive and layup, first assist on a drive-and-kick pic.twitter.com/PcQolwhMcC
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) October 18, 2017
Sixers head coach Brett Brown said after the game that Simmons was “exceptional.”
“I feel that his first game was really exceptional. Really, really exceptional. Physically, we all see what he is as an athlete, and I think that his growth path, his improvement scale, can be off the charts.”
Simmons said that he felt like he was playing NBA 2K.
“It felt like I was playing 2K honestly. Just looking at Joel Embiid out there with the lights on his jersey. I was like, ‘man, I’m actually here.”
Robert Covington, who led the team with 29 points on 7-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, clawed the Sixers within 115-113 with 1:18 to play, but a pair of consecutive turnovers by Jerryd Bayless and Covington on consecutive possessions in the final minute sealed the win for Washington.
An entertaining season-opening loss, Sixers will certainly point to these two turnovers late as their downfall. They'll learn to close. pic.twitter.com/ztLtgXuvFr
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) October 19, 2017
You can check out my highlights recap below.
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