Drake and Joel Embiid Playfully Trade Barbs as Sixers Defeat Raptors: ‘I’m Coming for the Sweep’

Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers greets Canadian rapper Drake after the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2022 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty

Joel Embiid is relishing the moment.

The Philadelphia Sixers star helped lead the team to victory over the Toronto Raptors in the third game of their playoff series on Wednesday night.

With the game tied at 101 points each, Embiid showed off his long-range skills by hitting a three-pointer with less than a second left on the clock, all but ending the game.

But what made the moment even sweeter for the 28-year-old center is that it happened in Toronto, where the Sixers lost to the Raptors in Game 7 of their NBA playoffs series three years ago.

It also didn’t hurt that Embiid hit his shot with one specific Raptors superfan looking on: Drake.

“In the first half, Drake was over there saying ‘[Embiid] can’t play here,'” Sixers player Tobias Harris said, according to USA Today. “I said ‘He can play here. For sure.’ For him to make that shot and just come out in the second half and really dominate is big.”

Rapper, Drake and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers leave the arena after Round 1 Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2022 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty

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A viral video of Embiid and Drake showed the two playfully trash-talking with each other after the game.

“I’m coming for the sweep too,” Embiid said in the video, referencing the Sixers’ opportunity to eliminate the Raptors in Game 4.

“I’ll be there for that 3-1,” Drake, 35, said back as Embiid walked to the locker room.

Embiid played coy with reporters following the game, claiming he couldn’t hear Drake’s retort from the sidelines.

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“I didn’t really hear him, but obviously, he’s always talking,” said Embiid, as noted by USA Today. “Of course, I had to let him know. Obviously, we’re trying to get Game 4, go for the sweep. Tonight, we didn’t play our best basketball.”

“I turned the ball over way too much and, as a team, we also did so those were the keys coming in. Taking care of the ball and offensive rebounding,” he added. “We didn’t do that tonight.”

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Despite some of the areas Embiid feels his team can improve on, the Sixers seem poised to move on to the second round of the NBA playoffs.

“We just gotta come in next game and take care of what we need to take care of,” Embiid told reporters.

The Raptors and Sixers face off in Game 4 on Saturday.