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Joel Embiid was brutally honest about his experience dealing with COVID-19 following the Philadelphia 76ers' 120-121 double OT loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
The Cameroonian missed nine games after testing positive for the dreaded virus. Here's what Embiid said during Saturday's post-game press conference (via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer) about his struggles with COVID-19:
“That jawn hit me hard. I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”
Despite a tough battle with COVID-19, Embiid returned in style for the Philadelphia 76ers. He recorded 42 points on 52.2% field goal shooting, and also had 14 rebounds and two blocks on his return.
Embiid's efforts helped the Sixers fight back from a 20-point deficit. But Doc Rivers' men couldn't cap their resurgence with a win despite forcing double overtime.
Nevertheless, the Philadelphia 76ers will be glad to have their best player back. They recorded seven losses during Joel Embiid's nine-game absence, dropping to 10-9 for the campaign without their big-man after a solid 8-2 start. They now sit 11th in the East after Saturday's loss.
Karl Anthony-Towns happy to see Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid return healthy after battle with COVID-19
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns said that he was happy to see his counterpart Joel Embiid return healthy from COVID-19. The two did not get along well after their on-court altercation two years back, where both stars got ejected and suspended later on.
Here's what Towns said about Embiid's return (via Dane Moore of Bring Me The News):
"We've had our thing for a while, but this is bigger than basketball. That's bigger than what we have. I've seen it kill people. And I'm glad he's on the other side."
Karl-Anthony Towns lost seven family members because of the disease, including his mother, Jaqueline Cruz-Towns, who passed away in April 2020. Towns said he even spoke to Embiid before the T'Wolves vs 76ers matchup to check up on him.
Joel Embiid played 45 minutes in his first game back from COVID-19. That is a positive sign, as players struggle to stay in top shape physically after testing positive.
The Philadelphia 76ers' losses have been largely due to injuries to key players like Embiid, Tobias Harris and Danny Green, among others. They are steadily getting their full squad back now. So it will be interesting to see if the Sixers can rediscover the form they showed at the start of the ongoing campaign.
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