The Philadelphia 76ers’ narrow 104-101 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their playoff series elicited a range of reactions, with Knicks fan Ben Stiller jubilantly celebrating the buzzer-beater win, while 76ers coach Nick Nurse vociferously criticized the officiating.
Joel Embiid, the 76ers star, was captured by cameras with a dejected expression in the locker room during a postgame interview, his face mostly obscured by his hand.
TNT analyst Charles Barkley commented on Embiid’s demeanor, suggesting it wasn’t appropriate for someone in his leadership role. “What I’d like to see from Joel, he’s gotta get his head up,” Barkley noted. “He’s the leader of the team, the best player, one of the best in the world. As a leader, he cannot have his head down. He’s got to say, ‘Guys, we’re fine. They did what they were supposed to do. We’re gonna go home and win Game 3 and 4.'”
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There’s speculation among fans that Embiid might be dealing with an eye issue, which could explain his sensitivity to light.
Notably, Embiid wore sunglasses during Monday’s pregame shoot-around and seemed to have vision difficulties in Game 1’s 111-104 loss. Despite these challenges, Embiid has been performing exceptionally, averaging 31.5 points, 9.0 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in the first two games of the playoffs.
Facing a 2-0 series deficit, the 76ers are set to host the Knicks for Game 3 at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.
