Philadelphia 76ers: The Phantom of the Process is here

Joel. Hans. Embiid.

After being listed as out for Game 3 as recently as Thursday, Embiid took the court for the Philadelphia 76ers in their first game back in the Wells Fargo Center since April 25 and went on to turn in an all-time performance despite having a torn ligament in his thumb, a broken orbital bone, and a black full-face mask covering his face Batman-style.

Though his 18 points and 11 rebounds weren’t exactly a generational stat line, his efforts at both ends of the court were undeniable, and his impact on the game was right up there with his all-time best games in a red, white, and blue jersey. With Embiid back, 3s were far more open, matchups were more predictable, and the dynamic duo of Tyrese Maxey and James Harden were able to score off the dribble and via the drive.

Is Doc Rivers’ squad guaranteed to finish out the series with four notches in their wins column? No, not necessarily, but it’s safe to say the Philadelphia 76ers team that took the court in Game 3 is a whole lot better than the one from Games 1 and 2, thanks almost exclusively to the “Phantom of the Process.”

The Philadelphia 76ers will go as deep as Joel Embiid will take them.

Joel Embiid shouldn’t be the MVP because of his offensive efforts alone. Mind you, he’s really, really, really good at scoring the basketball and can do so from pretty much anywhere on the court, from the restricted area to beyond the arc and especially the free throw line, but that alone isn’t what makes him an elite performer.

No, not only is Embiid the most unstoppable post-scoring force the NBA has seen since Shaq and the second-best high-volume shooting center from deep behind only noted-Eagles fan Karl-Anthony Towns, but he’s also a top-two defensive center who might just be better regarded than Rudy Goebert if he didn’t have to put in so much effort on offense.

With the thumb on his shooting hand in need of surgery and his face probably not particularly eager to embrace the elbows thrown right under the basket, Embiid probably won’t be attempting 19.6 field goals per game in any of the Sixers’ contests moving forward. Since suffering his aforementioned hand injury in Game 3, Embiid hasn’t made a 3, and his midrange shot has suffered as a result too. But still, getting 23 and 10 from a center isn’t bad per se, especially when compared to the numbers produced by DeAndre Jordan and Paul Reed produced in his sted.

And on the defensive end of the court? Well, Embiid has been masterful.

Despite his myriad of physical ailments, Embiid has been active on the boards, a locked-in man defender capable of sticking with his man regardless of position, and has even been an impactful performer in the deflection game, securing four blocks and two steals in his last two games. Embiid’s ability to lock down the painted area is such a breath of fresh air versus the production of DJ and BBall Paul – no offense to them – and delivered onto Philly a much-appreciated win that saw Eric Spoelstra’s squad fail to score 80 points.

Oh yeah, and did I mention that he did it wearing a mask? Because he did.

From Batman Begins, “People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy… As a man, I’m flesh and blood. I can be ignored. I can be destroyed. But as a symbol — as a symbol, I can be incorruptible. I can be everlasting.”

Joel Embiid alone isn’t enough to beat the Miami Heat, even when fully healthy. Even at full strength, he’s just one player, and when his teammates’ shots aren’t falling, his efforts can only do so much. But when Embiid’s on the court, everything gets easier for his teammates, and the game goes smoother as a result. Even if the team’s now 2-1 deficit proves insurmountable, the legend of the “Phantom of the Process” will only continue to grow among a Philadelphia 76ers’ fanbase that would quite literally run through a fall for their franchise player.