In the first game of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the 76ers visited the Knicks' home court and unfortunately lost by 3 points, and the series fell into a 0-2 predicament. In this game, the voices of controversy came and went, and some of the referee's decisions were obviously unfavorable to the 76ers, which also became an important factor in their loss. Although Embiid played with an injury, scoring 34 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes, the team's loss made him feel helpless.
After the game, Embiid's heart was heavy, and he chose to bow his head and be silent when facing the camera. He expressed strong dissatisfaction with the referee's blowing penalty, believing that the fouls on the field were ignored and even the right to call a timeout was denied. However, his negative attitude has attracted criticism from the outside world. Ross Barkley and other celebrities have pointed out that as the core of the team, Embiid should show a stronger leadership temperament, rather than choosing to run away in the face of difficulties.
Xu Jingyu even unceremoniously pointed out that Embiid's behavior was too weak and lacked the responsibility he should have as a leader. He joked that Embiid would only cry and would not be able to lead the team to victory. These remarks undoubtedly hit Embiid's image even harder.
Looking back at Embiid's career, his performance in crunch time was indeed disappointing. Whether it was the tears that flowed down after being killed by Xiaoka, or the failure to lead the team to make a breakthrough over the years, he was labeled as a "soft egg". Now, in the face of skepticism and ridicule from the outside world, Embiid needs to prove his worth with actions.
He must lead the 76ers out of the woods and win the game to regain the trust and respect of the fans. Otherwise, if he is eliminated by the Knicks in this series, the label "soft egg" will probably stay with him throughout his career. It's certainly a big challenge for Embiid, but it's also a great opportunity to prove himself.