Justise Winslow’s size–14 sneaker was no match for the mask. The protective contraption, designed to shield Joel Embiid’s face, allowed the Sixers’ All-Star to return from an orbital bone fracture and make his NBA postseason debut Thursday night. Embiid finished Philadelphia’s Game 3 victory against Miami with 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks. He inflicted the majority of his damage after Winslow tried to stomp on the goggles that accompany Embiid’s new headgear. “Fortunately we had a mask in the bullpen," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "Little do they know is that I have about 50 of them,” Embiid said.
The Science (and Process) Behind Joel Embiid's Mask
