“This is a lose-lose situation for me; If I don’t play, I’ll probably get called soft" - 3x All-NBA honoree gives an honest account of pushing through pain in 76ers-Heat 2nd round matchup

Joel Embiid has been playing through injury in the series against the Miami Heat and he feels like it is a lose-lose situation for him. The 28-year old suffered an orbital fracture in Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors but decided to take the court as his team was 0-2 down against the Heat.

His return has definitely fueled some fire in the 76ers as they leveled the series 2-2, only to suffer a blowout loss in Game 5 at the FTX Arena. In Game 5, Joel Embiid once again suffered a blow to the face, which left him in agony on the floor. When asked about the injury and the risks involved with him playing, Joel Embiid said:

"Obviously I'm not a specialist, I'm just listening to the doctors and I don't think so, it's just about pain tolerance and you know this is a lose-lose situation for me. If I don’t play, I’ll probably get called soft. If I play and I play bad, they’ll probably come up with a bunch of stuff like, he’s just not good enough. So, it's all about just trying to not get too high or not too low and just go out there and dig very deep and do what I can."

Joel Embiid led the 76ers scorers with 17 points on 58.3 % shooting from the field in Game 5. Despite his injury, he has tried his level best to contribute to the team and his resilience has been a big motivation for them. Game 6 will take place at the Wells Fargo Center, and the advantage will be with the 76ers there. Joel Embiid will be hoping to motivate the 76ers to fight for a win and take the series into Game 7, which would be a tricky one for both teams.

How good has Joel Embiid been this season?

Philadelphia 76ers v Miami Heat - Game Five

Joel Embiid had the responsibility of carrying the team on his shoulders in the absence of Ben Simmons, who decided to never play for the 76ers after their exit in the Conference semifinals last season. He did a phenomenal job, which helped the 76ers stay competitive despite all the controversies and injury problems.

After more than half the season was over, the franchise pulled off a trade for Ben Simmons, where they got James Harden in exchange for the Australian. The duo were expected to lead the 76ers to a championship and initially did well. However, as games passed, the beard stopped putting up big performances. Once again, Joel Embiid had to single-handedly win games for the team. He ended the regular season averaging 30.6 PPG and 11.7 RPG. Jojo became the first center since Shaquille O'Neal to win the scoring title.

After a successful regular season, it was time for Joel Embiid to show up in the playoffs. He was dominant right from the word go and made things extremely difficult for the Raptors.The big man hit a clutch three that sealed Game 3 for the 76ers, but after that things started to get difficult for him.

It was reported that he suffered a thumb injury in Game 3, but decided to play through it. His level of dominance dropped, but the big center continued contributing to the team. The 76ers won the series and they next were set to face the Miami Heat. Before the series started, another report emerged that Joel Embiid had suffered an orbital fracture and would be out of action for Games 1 and 2. In his absence, the team lost both games, which forced him to return for Game 3 in Philly.

The team have looked good since, but are once again trailing 3-2 in the series. Embiid is playing with a face mask and has been in pain throughout the last three games. However, he has shown great character, and the 76ers certainly need to make it all worth it by putting in some effort against the Heat. They still have a chance to tie the series when they get to Philly. Embiid looks like he will continue playing and with him on the court, they are never out of the game, which is why it will be interesting to see how the series transpires.