Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia 76ers: Charles Barkley Reveals His Big Problem With Joel Embiid’s Action After Game 2 Loss

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics
By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated 4/24/24

After losing Game 1 to the New York Knicks, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have gone through the same fate in Game 2. Turns out, NBA legend Charles Barkley has something to say about how the one-time MVP is acting after the loss.

In that particular game, the Knicks went home with 104-101 win over Philadelphia. Although Brunson shot poorly from the field, New York’s All-Star guard still finished the game with 24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Josh Hart made 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Donte DiVincenzo nailed 19 points, including the game-winning shot from beyond the arc during the final seconds of the game.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, had another monster game from Tyrese Maxey. Philly’s one-time All-Star notched 35 points and 10 assists in almost 45 minutes on the court. Embiid posted 34 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Tobias Harris contributed 10 points and nine boards.

The win helped New York get the two-game lead over the Sixers as the series will now shift to the latter’s home court. Meanwhile, Philadelphia finds itself in a deeper hole now after losing two straight games to the Brunson-led squad.

NBA Legend Charles Barkley Gets Real on Joel Embiid After Philadelphia 76ers Game 2 Loss to New York Knicks

After the game, Embiid spoke to the media about Philadelphia’s Game 2 loss. At this point, former Sixers star and current NBA analyst Charles Barkley pointed out his problem with the big man in video posted by NBA on TNT’s official X account:

“He’s the leader of the team… one of the best players in the world… As a leader of the team, he cannot have his head down.”

The Fellas react to Joel Embiid’s comments following the 76ers tough G2 loss pic.twitter.com/38TqvfqLb4

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 23, 2024

Having played 16 seasons in the NBA, eight of which were spent with the Sixers, Barkley knows a thing or two about leading a team. Nevertheless, the pressure of being eliminated early in the playoffs again might be too much for Embiid at this point of his career.

With the series moving to Philly, the Sixers are expected to get their first win soon. Hopefully, Embiid can motivate his teammates better to beat the Knicks in Game 3.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: