Joel Embiid’s Reaction to Sixers’ Comeback Win Over Grizzlies

The Philadelphia 76ers looked rusty on Thursday night against the Western Conference’s second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. With Sixers’ star center Joel Embiid shooting just 1-8 from the field in the first 12 minutes, Philadelphia trailed 37-22 going into the second quarter.

While the Sixers had Memphis’ lead cut down to just 12 points at halftime, the Grizzlies led by as many as 17 points in the first half. It wasn’t a promising first-half showing by the Sixers, but their late second-quarter push teased the possibility of a comeback in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Sixers went from shooting 32 percent to 44 percent. They outscored the Grizzlies 28-22, getting the game within six points before the fourth quarter. While the Sixers struggled to get the game within one possession before the fourth quarter, their late-game rally called for a comeback win.

“It felt great. We were down a lot of points, as much as 17, it shows that we had it,” said Sixers center Joel Embiid. “With the way we started, especially with their best shooter having 16 in the first, we stuck together. We made plays, not only offensively, but defense was a big part of it.”

Offensively, Embiid struggled much more than usual. Taking 25 shots from the field, the big man converted on just seven of his attempts. And from the free throw line, Embiid missed four of his 17 attempts. While he finished the night with 27 points, the second-most on the Sixers, Embiid’s defense made the difference for the Sixers down the stretch.

By holding the Grizzlies to just 37 percent from the field and 12 percent from deep, the Sixers outscored Memphis 35-24 in the fourth quarter. With some big plays down the stretch, the Sixers completed their comeback and put Memphis away 110-105. That win marks Philadelphia’s fifth straight as they move on to Boston on Saturday.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.