Joel Embiid ugly crying his way to locker room pic.twitter.com/yVqCfkmYCb — Nicole Perez (@nicole_perez1) May 13, 2019 Things went as heartbreaking as possible in Game 7 for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia Sixers. After Kawhi Leonard hit a buzzer-beater, Embiid was seen crying on his way to the locker room. Embiid said prior to the game that he expected to be on the court for the majority of the game. Embiid was on the court, but often did not look like himself. The Sixers big man looked winded after battling multiple injuries down the stretch. “It’s the playoffs,” Embiid explained to ESPN prior to Game 7. “I got to play. If I got to play 45 minutes and push myself out there, that’s what I got to do. If that’s what it takes to win, if my presence on the court is needed, I got to be there. It doesn’t matter if it takes the whole game, and I’m fine with it. Going to keep on pushing myself, and in Game 7, we’re going to need it. I’m going to need to be on the court, and I intend to be ready for anything — if I have to play a whole game.” The Sixers entered the regular season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for Philly fans, Leonard’s shot just rimmed in to avoid overtime. It will be an interesting offseason for the Sixers with Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler both hitting free agency. Here is another look at Embiid and the Sixers walking off the court. Joel Embiid is crying as #Sixers head back to locker room. ? #PhilaUnite pic.twitter.com/xC2RCAosOa — The Eagles Feast (@EaglesFeast) May 13, 2019 Embiid Played 45 of 48 Minutes in Game 7 Embiid lived up to his prediction by playing 45 of 48 minutes in Game 7 against the Raptors. The Sixers big man finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Philly.com noted that uncertainty surrounds the future of Sixers head coach Brett Brown. Reaching the conference finals was the Sixers’ season-long goal. There is talk that coach Brett Brown’s job might be in jeopardy if he failed to reach them. There’s even a report that he might even have had to make the NBA Finals to hold onto his job. After the game, Brown was asked about Embiid’s emotions. Brown noted that Embiid and the Sixers would use this experience to make them better. “He’ll look in the rear view mirror and remember this,” Brown said, per The Athletic. “He will come out better and smarter and stronger and more aware of really what it takes to play longer.” Embiid looked emotional on the court as he embraced members of the Raptors. Marc Gasol spoke with him right after the game to console the big man he battled against for seven games. As NBC’s Tommy Breer suggested, Leonard’s shot may have changed a lot of things for the Sixers. The game was headed to overtime had the shot not fallen. “It’s not hyperbole to suggest that the future of a couple franchises was potentially hanging in the balance as that ball bounced around the rim…Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris are free agents. Does Brett Brown get fired? Does that moment mean Kawhi is more likely to stay in TOR?” Breer tweeted.<doc-sep>The 2019 NBA Playoffs will likely serve as a wake-up call for Sixers big man Joel Embiid. The All-Star center battled illness and fatigue all series long, and by the time Kawhi Leonard shocked the 76ers with a bouncing, series-clinching buzzer-beater, Embiid could be seen exiting the court as an emotionally drained (and devastated) star. As Leonard’s shot — which was made over Embiid — finally dropped, Embiid stood there in shock. He put his hands on his head and then made his way around the court to congratulate the Raptors players — all while holding back tears. Marc Gasol was the first player who approached Embiid to offer words of encouragement. Marc Gasol was the first to go hug a crying Joel Embiid after the game. The world doesn’t deserve this man. pic.twitter.com/RkZoUK4Ir4 — Made in Memphis (@MadeinMemphis1) May 13, 2019 When he made his way into the tunnel, Embiid was visibly crying. It was a crushing loss, and you could see how he was affected by it. Joel Embiid was emotional following the Game 7 loss in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/N5bPgKyhHz — ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2019 After the game, head coach Brett Brown said that the experience was something that Embiid would remember forever — and it could be used as a motivating force. For all his struggles with health and conditioning this postseason, Embiid finished Sunday’s game with 21 points and 11 rebounds.<doc-sep>Sixers star Joel Embiid was seen in tears after Kawhi Leonard hit the series-winner over him on Sunday. Many decided to crack jokes on him for the scene. This led to multiple NBA players—including Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who had his own teary-eyed moment earlier this season—fireback at trolls in Embiid's defense. "Only losers think that crying is a sign of weakness," Gobert tweeted. "Only shows how much of a competitor and winner you are!" More professional players defended Embiid than they did Gobert. Mitchell said to "leave bruh alone" in an Instagram comment. Image via Instagram Caron Butler also came to Embiid's defense during an interview with TMZ. "That's the crazy part about the NBA," he said. "They say that players need that time to vent so it would be great if guys were able to go to the locker room, kind of depressed, let that emotional time die down and then have an opportunity to go back out there and address the media." After playing 45 minutes (the most by any player last night) Embiid raked in 21 points and 11 rebounds. His sadness turned to frustration during his postgame interview as he fielded questions from the media. "I don't give a damn about 'the process,'" Embiid said when asked if the team has lived up to its motto. He then told the Associated Press his honest and blunt thoughts on the Sixers contemplating firing coach Brett Brown after losing the series. "At the end of the day, it comes down to the players. I don't think he should have anything to worry about. He's an amazing coach, a better person. ... If there was someone to blame, I mean, put it all on me," Embiid stated after saying the idea is "bullsh*t."<doc-sep>
All you had to do was take one look at Joel Embiid post-game to see what had just happened to the 76ers. Philadelphia was eliminated in gut-wrenching fashion. The Toronto Raptors advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in a classic Game 7, winning 92-90 on a ridiculous buzzer-beater by Kawhi Leonard. Leonard’s shot will go down as one of the most memorable in NBA history. As the Toronto team and fans celebrated, Embiid appeared beside himself as he walked off the court. He was visibly in tears and had to be consoled on the court by a few Raptors players. Marc Gasol was the first to go hug a crying Joel Embiid after the game. The world doesn’t deserve this man. pic.twitter.com/RkZoUK4Ir4 — Made in Memphis (@MadeinMemphis1) May 13, 2019 In the tunnel leading to the locker room, the TV cameras caught Embiid in tears. Embiid is flowing with tears on his way back to the locker room | TNT pic.twitter.com/jY3gP6soKQ — The Render (@TheRenderNBA) May 13, 2019 Embiid finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds in a losing effort. He’s young, and will hopefully be back in this situation again. However, Philly has some choices to make this offseason. Namely, they must decide what to do with Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler, and explore if they want to shake up the team’s core at all. Oh, and head coach Brett Brown may be fired. Meanwhile, the Raptors are one step closer to the NBA Finals. They’ll play the Milwaukee Bucks for the right to go there.