Embiid motivated by Shaq & Barkley criticism
After coming in for criticism from Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, Joel Embiid was in fine form on against the Boston Celtics.
Joel Embiid used criticism from Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley as fuel to produce a stunning display on Thursday.
The Philadelphia 76ers dished out a first home loss of the season to the Boston Celtics, with Embiid the star man.
He registered a double-double as the 76ers triumphed 115-109, ending the Celtics' 10-match winning run at TD Garden.
Embiid's eye-catching performance came after NBA legends O'Neal and Barkley suggested he was failing to live up to his promise.
"For them to say that I have the potential to be the best player in the world, and I haven't shown that, and I should let it be shown, that says a lot," Embiid said in quotes reported by ESPN.
"They've been there, they've done it, they're Hall of Famers, so it just shows me I have to play harder and like I can.
"I actually called Shaq [on Wednesday] - he thought I was mad at him. I was like, 'No, I understand what he was saying.'
"I've had a bad year so far. I've been kind of frustrated, just because you're not seeing the teamwork and you try to fit in with your new team-mates. Just be aggressive ... just go out there and just dominate.
"Whatever they said, I think it was good for me."