PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid is suffering from Bell’s palsy and played Game 3 with a bulky knee brace to sturdy the 7-footer after dealing with injuries all season.

The lingering effects of the time off from his most recent knee surgery s ucked him into a depression — and that was before Embiid was hit with a form of facial paralysis. Embiid pushed aside the pain — mental and physical — and embraced the pressure after he vowed the 76ers were “going to win this series” against the New York Knicks.

Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-saving third quarter on Thursday night to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 125-114 win in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

After getting punished in New York, the Sixers pushed back.

“They want to bring the physicality,” Embiid said. “We can be physical, too.”