"If there's one player that I think is more talented than me, it's definitely him" - Joel Embiid on Kevin Durant after their on-court scuffle
Joel Embiid has cleared the air with Kevin Durant after the pair's on-court scuffle, lauding the Brooklyn Nets superstar as 'more talented' than himself
The duo are two of the most competitive players in the NBA. They got into a scuffle during an intense clash between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers game, which the 76ers won 110-102 on Thursday.
However, in the post-game press conference, the two spoke about the mutual respect they had for each other. Both Durant and Embiid said there was no bad blood between the two. Speaking about his scuffle with Durant, Embiid said:
"That’s the best team in our conference, obviously; I respect (Durant) a lot. Judging by the way he was acting last time, that’s the same thing he told us. Basically, we returned the favor, but there’s a lot of respect...If there’s one player I think is probably talented or more talented than me, it’s definitely him."
"So I have a lot of respect for him. I admire his game. So we’re just competitive. Wins matter, every single one of them, and it’s always good to beat the best in the conference.”
"If there was one player that I think is more talented than me, it's definitely [Kevin Durant]. I have a lot of respect for him" - Joel Embiid on Kevin Durant https://t.co/XVevVtVzTR
Durant and James Harden combined for 66 points but were unable to stop the 76ers from ekeing out a win in the final quarter courtesy of Embiid's brilliance. This was Durant's first game back from the league's COVID protocols. But he showed no rustiness, scoring 33 points on 54.2% shooting from the field.
"Go home! Go home!"
Joel Embiid to Kevin Durant after the game 😂 https://t.co/tOL8xZeJlM
Durant was disappointed that the Nets lost the game, which was why he went at Embiid after the center scored the game-sealing basket. However, in his post-game press conference, he said that the scuffle was in the heat of the moment. He also heaped praise on Embiid, saying:
""If you've been watching Joel and I play against each other, it's been like that every game, even All-Star game. We just respect each other so much that natural competitive fire comes out. It's the name of the game. Letting 'em know we coming with the same energy. I liked the energy that they played with tonight. Level of competition is only going to make you better."
"I'm glad that can bring the best out of an opponent"
Kevin Durant talks about his waving gesture toward the 76ers earlier this season and seeing Joel Embiid return it tonight https://t.co/M9wBBMDmS2
Joel Embiid spoils Kevin Durant's return for the Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers came into the game off consecutive wins. However, they had their task cut out against the Nets. With Kevin Durant making a comeback, the game was expected to be a thriller. It lived up to its hype, as the two teams were only separated by one point going into half-time.
Kevin Durant had a massive third quarter, where he scored 14 points. However, youngster Tyrese Maxey wiped off the Nets' seven-point lead, closing the third with consecutive threes. The youngster ended the game with 25 points on 5-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
34 PTS | 7 REB
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Joel Embiid scored 22 points in the first half. He then chipped in with 12 in the second, and also racked up a put-back basket, which sealed the deal for Philly.
The big man returned the favor from the previous meeting between the two teams when Durant waved the Sixers out of the game. After scoring the decisive basket, Embiid got into a scuffle with Durant, and made sure to wave him off the court after the big win.
Their third consecutive win moved the 76ers to 19-16 on the season. They next play the Houston Rockets at home on January 3.