Joel Embiid Payton Pritchard Sixers Celtics Game 7

WATCH: Joel Embiid called out Payton Pritchard for saying the Celtics didn’t need to have a plan for him when he returned

Before Joel Embiid came back from surgery, Payton Pritchard was asked about Embiid being upgraded to doubtful. His response? “Nice.” Then he said the Celtics weren’t sitting there worried about whether Embiid was playing or not. Said they hadn’t even game-planned for him yet. Said they made maybe a small adjustment before the game but didn’t talk about it at all.

Cute. Real cute, Payton.

Pritchard dropped that quote when Joel Embiid was still on the shelf recovering from surgery and your team had a comfortable series lead. He felt safe enough to big-league a former MVP because he thought the Sixers were done. That’s the kind of thing guys say when they think they’ll never have to answer for it.

Then Embiid came back in Game 4. The Sixers lost that one but Embiid put up 26 and 10 in his first game back from an appendectomy. Then they won Game 5 with Embiid dropping 33 and 8.

Then Game 6. Then Game 7 at TD Garden where Embiid had 34, 12, and 6, hit a three with the lead down to one, and waved off the entire building. The team that didn’t bother game-planning for him watched their 3-1 series lead evaporate the moment he stepped on the floor. Embiid played four games in this series. The Sixers won three of them.

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After the series, Joel Embiid was asked about his performance and didn’t hesitate to let everyone know exactly who motivated him.

He didn’t say Pritchard’s name. He said his number. “I saw number 11 on the team before I came back, he said they didn’t care if I was playing or not. When the other team doesn’t worry about you and have some solid game plan or being prepared for you, he helps you have better games. I thank number 11 for that.”

Joel Embiid on Payton Pritchard:

I thank number 11 for that. Cold. Calculated. Devastating. Joel Embiid didn’t need to yell. He didn’t need to get emotional. He just calmly referenced the man by his jersey number and thanked him for being stupid enough to give a former MVP bulletin board material heading into an elimination series.

Pritchard scored 32 in Game 4 when the Celtics were up 3-1 and everybody thought it was over. He looked like a world-beater torching the Sixers’ bench while the series felt safe. Then Embiid came back, the Sixers won three straight, and Pritchard finished the series watching his team collapse around him while the guy he said they didn’t game-plan for dominated every game he played.

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Pritchard scored 32 in Game 4 when the Celtics were up 3-1 and everybody thought it was over. He looked like a world-beater torching the Sixers’ bench while the series still felt safe.

Then the Sixers won three straight and Pritchard finished the series watching his team collapse around him while the guy he said they didn’t game-plan for dominated every game he played.

That’s what happens when you poke the bear. That’s what happens when you disrespect a competitor of Embiid’s caliber while he’s recovering from surgery. You give him a reason to come back angry. You give him fuel. You give him something to point to after he’s done burying your season.

Pritchard said “nice” when Embiid was upgraded to doubtful. Embiid said “I thank number 11” after eliminating Pritchard’s team in seven games. One of those quotes aged well. The other one is going to follow Payton Pritchard around for a very long time.

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