Both Philadelphia 76ers stars found themselves in hot water in Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets, but now the team is on the verge of winning the first round.
Early in the first quarter, Sixers star Joel Embiid hit Nets center Nic Claxton with a kick off the ground after the big man demonstratively took a step over the MVP favorite. The kick caught Claxton near the groin, sending him to the ground.
Embiid avoided an ejection but received a flagrant 1 for his actions. Claxton received a technical foul for stepping over Embiid.
The tension continued later in the first quarter when Claxton knocked Embiid over with a back jab during a rebound. Embiid then went to the dressing room and was out of the game for a short time, but returned midway through the second quarter.
James Harden joined the fun in the third quarter when a drive from the Nets’ Royce O’Neale knocked the defender down. The replay showed a low hit from Harden, which officials took as grounds for a Flagrant 2 and an autoeject.
Harden finished the game with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists on 8-of-15 shooting.
Minutes later, the Nets saw their own ejection when Claxton received a second technical foul for taunting Embiid after a dunk:
The Sixers still managed to carve out the win, with Harden out and Embiid clearly playing through some pain, winning 102-97 to take a 3-0 lead over Brooklyn. Embiid perhaps had the biggest play of the game either a block on a potential basket with 10 seconds remaining.
Embiid’s kick and non-ejection came two days after the stomp heard worldwide when Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was thrown from Game 2 against the Sacramento Kings for stepping on the chest of Kings big man Domantas Sabonis .
The stomp was preceded by Sabonis grabbing Green’s leg while he was on the ground, but the NBA ruled that Green’s status as a repeat offender warranted a one-game suspension to be served in Game 3 on Thursday.
We can only wonder what Green was thinking as he watched Embiid not being ejected for a similar offense, although we might find out soon enough knowing Green. The man obviously also has experience with low blows.