Heat's Jimmy Butler Trolls 76ers' Joel Embiid on IG: 'F--k Yo Mask'
May 7, 2022
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid returned from a two-game absence to help the Sixers score a crucial Game 3 victory over the Miami Heat in their second-round playoff series.
Embiid tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds Friday night while donning a protective mask to protect his face after suffering an orbital fracture in the previous series.
"No one cared who I was until I put on the mask," the MVP candidate joked on Instagram, using a line from The Dark Knight Rises.
Miami guard Jimmy Butler responded:
Butler and the Heat won the first two games by a combined 30 points with Embiid out of the lineup. The five-time All-Star's return allowed Philly to bounce back with a 99-79 win that suggests it's set to become a long, competitive series after all.
It was a team effort for the Sixers as Danny Green (21 points), Tyrese Maxey (21) and James Harden (17) also had strong scoring nights.
Butler paced the Heat with 33 points, but only one other player scored in double figures (Tyler Herro, 14) as the Philadelphia defense held them to 35.1 percent shooting.
"You add Jo to any team, home or away, the game, the scouting report, it changes drastically," Butler told reporters about Embiid's return. "It's been like that for his entire career."
The former teammates are always willing to engage in some banter either on the floor or, in this case, on Instagram after a hard-fought game.