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‘I Was Scared’: Kelly Oubre Jr Reflects on Joel Embiid’s Unexpected Comeback Against the Thunder
Kelly Oubre Jr shares his thoughts on Joel Embiid’s astonishing return to the court against the Thunder. Find out what he had to say. Read more
The Philadelphia 76ers welcomed the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to the Wells Fargo on Tuesday night, hopeful for a win.
The spotlight of the game fixed on the return of reigning MVP Joel Embiid sidelined for 27 games due to meniscus surgery after an injury during a match against the Golden State Warriors earlier in the season.
Kelly Oubre commented on his return after the game, where Embiid led the Sixers to a 109-105 victory over the Thunder, his first game since January 30.
Amusingly, Oubre expressed his apprehension for the opposing team, knowing they had barely an hour to make up their minds and ready themselves to face the MVP.
Oubre said in her postgame interview, "When I realized he was back, I was scared for the other team," "He had to find his rhythm. He's been away for a while, and it's just fantastic to have him back. I believe not just we but the entire NBA community missed him."
Talks of Embiid’s return began immediately after his surgery and increased this week. His status was elevated just before Tuesday night's game.
As for the game itself, Embiid, the Cameroonian superstar, demonstrated that he hasn’t lost his touch, contributing a team-high 12 points at a 44 percent field goal rate, four of which were perfect shots from the free-throw line.
Embiid's MVP Performance Overshadowed by Controversy NBA to Investigate Sixers' Handling of Injury Report
The reigning MVP continued to display his offensive skills beyond the first half, as he contributed another 12 points in the last two quarters, totaling 24 points for the night. Only Kelly Oubre Jr. outscored him, leading Philadelphia's offense with 25 points.
TNT's Jared Greenberg has stated that the NBA might investigate how the Philadelphia 76ers reported their injuries for Tuesday's game.
Despite having been listed as unavailable for most of the day, Joel Embiid made an unexpected comeback from his knee surgery approximately an hour before the game. The league may see this as a dishonest tactic.
The Sixers had already received a $75,000 fine in February for breaking injury report rules, which also involved the reigning MVP.
The Sixers could face another NBA fine if found guilty of any violations. It remains to be seen whether the fine will remain at $75,000 or increase due to their second violation in fewer than two months.
