Joel Embiid made the headlines after a thrilling win! But not for the reasons that the Philadelphia 76ers must have preferred. Playing his second game after a 13-game injury layoff, the big man showed aggression right from tip-off.  While he managed to take them past the finish line, his methods came under scrutiny. From a nasty blow to LaMelo Ball to his ‘usual crimes’, it was a show!

The Cameroonian big man’s usual crime is his way of robbing his trip to the charity strip. Mind you, it wasn’t just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom the fans repeatedly called the ‘free throw merchant.’ Interestingly, tonight it went up a notch. Embiid’s act left the announcer losing his mind, calling him a “free-throw merchant” on national TV.

Taking on the Charlotte Hornets, the Sixers trailed by 6 points with 30 seconds left in the third quarter. Determined to cut the deficit, Joel Embiid pumped faked Grant Williams at the arc and drove to the basket. Then, instead of looking for a shot attempt, he collapsed on him for a whistle, leaving the crowd to go wild. Announcing the play, Eric Collins exclaimed, “Oh Embiid! Good golly! This guy is an absolute merchant. He’s a free-throw merchant.”

In the meantime, the 32-year-old seemed unfazed by the crowd’s eruption and the Hornets’ helpless gasps. In fact, he continued it, finishing the game with 10 FT makes. Two of them came during the crucial final few seconds that helped the 76ers secure a 118-114 win. He finished the game with 29 points and 6 rebounds. Strikingly, Embiid’s unbothered, aggressive approach to the game came even after an ugly act in the very first quarter, elbowing LaMelo Ball.

Around the 7th minute, the Cameroonian big man collected a defensive rebound as the Hornets’ defenders crowded him. Melo, who came from Embiid’s weak side, attempted to swipe at the ball.

Embiid, who once again tried to sell a call, landed his elbow on Ball’s face. The Hornets’ leader went down instantly, burying his face in his hands.

The refs took a closer look at the play and slapped the big man with a technical foul. This added tension to the already heated contest and ultimately cost the team the game.

Joel Embiid: The Free Throw Merchant

Joel Embiid may not be in the MVP race this season, but he once went toe-to-toe against Nikola Jokić and won it. And one of the biggest talking points was the big men’s ability to get calls and crowd the free-throw line. Notably, in the 2022-23 season, which was his MVP season, he averaged 11.7 FT attempts compared to Jokic’s 6.0.

Notably, Embiid has once openly defended his approach. Speaking to JJ Redick in 2022, he said, “I get doubled and tripled every single play, and it just shows that you can’t guard me one-on-one, and if you do, I’m going to score, or I’m getting to the free-throw line.” From a logical standpoint, the reason given holds as drawing calls remain an efficient way to score in the modern NBA.

Even though his FT attempts have considerably dropped this season (8.7 FTA), the pressure he creates still haunts opponents and even coaches. Royal Ivey, the Rockets’ assistant coach, didn’t mince words, speaking in an in-game sideline interview. “Embiid shoots nine free throws in that half. The foul-baiting is crazy right now. We just gotta be more disciplined.”

Nevertheless, the big man doesn’t seem bothered by the uproar. Instead, he has improved his production considerably ahead of the postseason. In his last 10 appearances, Embiid has averaged 31.5 ppg and 7.5 rebounds, shooting at an efficient 52.5% from the field.

Moreover, the Sixers are currently 0.5 games behind the Hawks for the 6th seed, and with 8 games remaining, they can even seal the 5th seed.