Joel Embiid has a special message for Payton Pritchard after Game 7

With that seemingly throwaway line, Pritchard apparently woke up the beast.

Eight days later, with the Sixers claiming victory in Game 7 after overcoming a 3-1 series deficit, Embiid put on a pair of nice shades and calmly delivered his receipt.

"Number 11 on the team...Before I came back, he said, they didn't care if I was playing or not," Embiid said. "When the other team doesn't worry about you or have some sort of game plan...it helps you have better games. I thank number 11 for that."

The entire scene screamed "Monday Night Raw" with the recalling of past grievances, name-calling and wearing sunglasses while talking smack. But the reality is, Embiid earned the right to get cocky on the mic Saturday night.

Though Tyrese Maxey hit some big shots down the stretch, it was Embiid who had a team-high 34 points on 46.2 percent shooting from the field. All night long, he punished the Celtics' frontline with his rebounding and his aggressiveness inside the paint. While Boston's starting five combined for 10 free throw attempts, Embiid put up 11 bonus shots by his lonesome.

Whether or not Pritchard intended to get under Embiid's skin is anyone's guess. But, in this round, Goliath stands triumphant over David. Up next: a slugfest that will begin inside Madison Square Garden.