Joel Embiid had the game of his young NBA career on Wednesday night, exploding for 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 7 blocks in a 115-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was a triumphant performance for Embiid and a Process-affirming one for plenty of Sixers fans who have watched their franchise suffer through bad basketball, injuries and plenty of uncertainty. What if Embiid is all hype and drama and no on-court results?
Embiid’s transcendent performance put many of those concerns to rest, and the affable center made the most of his big night by throwing some shade in a celebratory post on Instagram late Wednesday night.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbi_3haltFK/?taken-by=joelembiid
“WHAT A NIGHT !!!!!,” Embiid posted on Instagram after the big win along with a photo of him driving to the net while Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball. It’s a curious picture to choose given the struggles Ball is currently enduring, as well as the mini feud Embiid had with Lonzo’s father LaVar Ball over the summer.
That tiff cost Joel some money when he cursed out LaVar in an Instagram video, so it’s no wonder Embiid tagged the photo’s location with the word “Lavar.” Embiid has an illustrious history posting locations on Instagram to drive his point home, and his best night as a pro was no exception.
Embiid later clarified his social media exploits late at night on the left coast, clarifying that his jab at LaVar is not necessarily a jab at Lonzo.
I like Lonzo’s game… no shots towards him #TrustIt
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 16, 2017
“I like Lonzo’s game,” Embiid tweeted late Wednesday from the West Coast. “No shots towards him.” He added a #TrustIt hashtag, which was either an encouragement after Ball continued to struggle to shoot the ball or another bit of encouragement to Sixers fans he’s encouraged to trust The Process for a few years now.
After what Embiid did on Wednesday, it’s hard not to believe in what Embiid is selling in Philly these days.
