Sixers' Joel Embiid sends clear message after Game 5 win over Celtics

BOSTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers walked out of TD Garden with a season-saving 113-97 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday thanks to the heroics of Joel Embiid. The big fella was dominant as he had 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting along with eight assists and four rebounds on the night after a 1-for-7 start to the game.

It's amazing that Embiid is even out there for the Sixers after undergoing an appendectomy on April 9. A mere 19 days after the surgery, he shook off the slow start and then went to work in the paint against Celtics big men Nikola Vucevic and Neemias Queta. There was nothing Boston could do.

"I was just figuring it out," Embiid said after the win. "This is the second game back, and then obviously going into that game while the key things was trying to get a couple more 3s off as a team, and I was open, so I got to take them. Unfortunately, didn't make any. I'll make some next game, and then obviously you got to kind of change. It obviously wasn't working, so I had to adjust. Just wanted to impose myself inside a little bit more, and it worked out."

Embiid then left for the locker room briefly in the third quarter after it appeared he had banged knees with somebody on the Celtics. When asked about it, he said he was good, but the big fella also sent a clear message after the win. If he can give it a go, he is going to do what he has to do.

"One thing about me is I've dealt with a lot of stuff over my career," he started. "I don't complain. I just want to give as much as I can every single time I step on the floor. I know a lot of people might have takes of that I might be lazy or whatever, but every single time I'm on the floor, I want to play as hard as possible."

There is no way anybody can question Embiid's toughness or heart out there on the floor. One can question other things such as his basketball play at times, but he continues to do everything he possibly can to be there for the Sixers and help them win games.