Bothered by national televised blowouts, Sixers' Embiid aims to change culture

Joel Embiid is frustrated, and a lot of it has to do with the perception the 76ers are receiving from their nationally televised performances.

The Sixers were hammered, 110-86, by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a TNT game back on Nov. 17. On Friday, they were pounded, 100-89, by the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN.

"My job has been trying to change the culture," Embiid said. "It just makes me mad that we come out on ESPN and TNT and play so bad."

The 7-foot-2, 275-pound power forward wonders if it's the pressure of playing on national television that hinders the Sixers.

"I don't really know, but that's the second game in a row we weren't focused, especially on  the bigger stage," he said of Friday's home setback.

Embiid realizes the nationally televised games are the ones that many are going to remember and use for their impressions of the team. So if you watched only those two games, you might think the squad was just as bad as the Sixers team that finished 10-72 last season.

"It still kind of makes me mad when I go on Twitter," Embiid said. "We didn't have the worst record in the league. But people still say we do just because of the past."

The 22-year-old has taken on the role as one of the team's leaders. As a result, he's determined to change the team's perception.

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.