Boston Celtics reporter calls out Joel Embiid for postseason woes in the clutch

Joel Embiid had 39 points and 12 rebounds in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the New York Knicks, but he ultimately fouled out in the fourth quarter and wasn't on the floor for a game-tying opportunity from Buddy Hield that spectacularly missed; leading to a series-clinching 118-115 win for the New York Knicks. Boston Celtics reporter Jay King of The Athletic called out Embiid for never delivering during clutch-time minutes in the postseason.

"I know Embiid played through an injury," King prefaced before saying, "He clearly wasn’t right physically. But he has never been able to compete at a high enough level in the fourth quarter of playoff games. Needs to find a way to avoid gassing out. It happened to him most of the series, often after he dominated the first three quarters. Maybe it was just the injury. But his history suggests it happens regardless."

Embiid reportedly had Bell's palsy during the series, but with the loss, he remains the only regular season MVP in league history to never make a conference finals. To make matters worse, his playoff record fell further below .500, with the gap widening on his win percentage alongside Ben Simmons and without him.

Good on Embiid for fighting through with his ailments, but shame on Embiid for the numerous dirty plays he was caught committing on camera.

Where his Sixers go in the offseason is anybody's guess, but he has existential questions to answer this summer.

Joel Embiid joins Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday on Team USA this summer -- can he be recruited elsewhere?

Embiid will be joining Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday in Paris for the 2024 Olympics on Team USA, but it's not the two Celtics the world will have their eyes on as it pertains to Embiid. LeBron James, a 2024 free agent, will likely be starting alongside the 30-year-old, and stars like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker, whose teams will all be seeking upgrades, will have inroads to the former MVP center.

Could Embiid be recruited away from Philadelphia? Team USA has a history of breaking existing teams up in favor of super-teams.

So maybe.