Nets vs. 76ers: Did Cam Johnson's Dunk Motivate Joel Embiid?

Cam Johnson's highlight dunk over Joel Embiid might've caused the 76ers' big man to turn his defense up a notch in Game 2.

Brooklyn Nets veteran Cam Johnson made a huge impact on the Game 2 matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs on Monday night.

In the first half of action, Johnson scored 22 points in 20 minutes. He knocked down nine of his 13 shot attempts and drilled four of his seven threes.

Johnson’s stat line was impressive as it helped the Nets garner a 49-44 lead over the Sixers through one half. However, it was Johnson’s poster dunk on the Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid that really took Brooklyn’s first-half intensity to another level.

CAM JOHNSON POSTER ON EMBIID. 🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/FVUtHlM19N

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 18, 2023

Unfortunately for Johnson and the Nets, they woke a sleeping giant. 

Through the first half, Joel Embiid had a quiet showing on the offensive end, draining just two of his five shots for eight points in 18 minutes. 

While Embiid had a significant impact on the glass, coming down with 15 rebounds, it was clear a big second half needed to be in store in order for the Sixers to make their comeback after trailing by double-digits.

Embiid produced 12 points in the second half after checking in for 18 minutes. He also came down with four more rebounds and collected a pair of blocks. Offensively, Embiid took what the defense gave him. Defensively, he was a force down low, and he turned up the intensity in the second half.

How much of that was motivated by Johnson’s dunk? Well, Embiid claimed to have a short memory.

“I don’t remember getting dunked on,” said Embiid. He then added that playoffs — not highlight plays followed by stare-downs and an exchange of words — motivate him to turn his play up a notch.

“It's the playoffs. That's usually where I take my defense to another level,” he continued. “I thought tonight as a team we were really good, and myself, I felt like, as I said, it's the playoffs, and it's been like that over my career every single time. We can talk about how it's hard to play 100 percent of the time in the regular season with that many games, but it's the playoffs, and every possession matters.”

Embiid was productive in all areas of the game on Monday night, but his defense was the difference-maker. As the Sixers held Brooklyn to just 35 points in the second half, the Sixers put together a comeback and picked up a two-game advantage over the Nets. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.