Joel Embiid: 'I Probably Should Have Gone Up Harder' on Giannis' Game-Winning Block

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-116 on Tuesday night, with Giannis Antetokounmpo's block on Joel Embiid with just seconds remaining serving as the pivotal moment.

After the game, Embiid spoke about the play, which was initially called goaltending before being ruled a clean block on replay.

"I thought it was close," he told reporters. "I probably should have gone up harder, but in that situation, I didn't know how much time was left. So I was just trying to get the ball off or quickly up."

In a battle of two MVP candidates Tuesday night, the Greek Freak got the best of The Process. While Embiid had another excellent performance (29 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists), Antetokounmpo went off for 40 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

Oh, and the win.

Antetokounmpo also scored 15 straight points between the third and fourth quarters. During that stretch, the Bucks went from trailing 85-72 to being down just 91-87, a huge swing.

Embiid was candid with reporters while speaking about that crucial moment in the game, appearing to take issue with head coach Doc Rivers' rotations:

It was a big win for the Bucks (47-28), who not only moved up to No. 2 in the Eastern Conference and a full game ahead of the Sixers (46-29) but also won the season series and now hold that tiebreaker.

The Bucks are also just a half-game behind the Miami Heat (48-28) for the top seed in the East, while the Sixers dropped to No. 4.

The Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be fascinating. The Bucks are the defending champs. The Sixers boast arguably the best starting lineup in the conference, with Embiid, James Harden, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey leading the charge. The Heat have struggled of late but still maintain the top seed. The Boston Celtics have gone an incredible 21-4 in their last 25 games.

And, of course, the Brooklyn Nets lurk from the play-in tournament, with a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving making them arguably the most dangerous team in the conference.

So games like Tuesday's matchup matter quite a bit. Antetokounmpo's block on Embiid might end up being the difference between the top seed and the No. 4 seed for Philly.