‘An absolute joke’: Joel Embiid in disbelief as ‘embarrassing’ ejection stuns Sixers

Joel Embiid was left in disbelief after teammate James Harden was ejected because the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Brooklyn Nets 102-97 to take a 3-0 lead of their playoffs collection.

Although Embiid might rely himself fortunate to haven’t been ejected himself after kicking out at Nic Claxton earlier within the recreation and but nonetheless remaining within the recreation.

As for the Harden choice, it got here simply within the latter levels of the third quarter because the Sixers gave up a 13-point result in arrange an exciting end towards a determined Nets aspect.

Harden was having a team-best evening with 21 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 29 minutes when he was referred to as for an offensive foul as he collided with Royce O’Neal.

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Harden’s eyes widened in shock that the whistle was towards him, so you possibly can think about his shock when the officers went to the replay monitor and upped the decision to a Flagrant 2 and automated ejection.

Harden walked up the tunnel because the noise within the area elevated, with followers waving their white towels and their palms.

O’Neal was tightly defending Harden, who dropped his shoulder into O’Neal’s chest and his elbow appeared to collide with O’Neal’s groin.

Teammate Embiid watched on in shock as Harden, who completed the sport with 21 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, left the court docket.

Harden was the primary of the Nets’ failed “Big Three” to go, when he pressured his method to the 76ers in a commerce that introduced again Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond – none of whom performed for on this recreation – in addition to two first-round draft picks.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have been subsequently traded earlier this 12 months.

Minutes later, although, Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton was additionally ejected as soon as he was assessed a second technical foul for taunting Joel Embiid.

Claxton’s first was for taunting Embiid after the Sixers massive man was assessed a flagrant 1 foul for kicking the Nets guard within the first quarter.

It got here simply two days after Draymond Green was suspended for stomping on Domantas Sabonis whereas there was additionally controversy surrounding teammate Embiid earlier within the recreation.

Just minutes into the 76ers’ Game 3 conflict, Embiid and Nic Claxton received into an altercation that left the house crowd up in arms.

Claxton threw down an alley-oop — from Mikal Bridges’ nifty go — over Embiid, and Embiid fell to the bottom within the course of.

After touchdown, Claxton stared down Embiid and started to step over him a la Allen Iverson over Tyron Lue.

Embiid seemingly took offence.

As Claxton was stepping over him, Embiid kicked out along with his left leg at Claxton’s midsection.

He didn’t land a clear shot, but it surely knocked Claxton to the bottom and a scuffle between the 2 groups rapidly adopted.

After evaluate, Embiid acquired a flagrant 1 foul for the kick, whereas Claxton acquired a technical for taunting Embiid.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in my career before, for a guy to intentionally kick someone in an area that none of us want to be kicked at …and for him to continue to play,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned post-game.

“I’ve never seen that before. Intentionally.”

Harden missed the 76ers’ free throw for the technical foul, and Clacton nailed the Nets’ free throw for the flagrant foul.

That left the Nets main 7-4 with nine-and-a-half minutes remaining within the first quarter.

The 76ers entered the sport up 2-0 within the collection.

Near the tip of the primary quarter, Embiid headed to the locker room, although the explanation for his exit wasn’t clear and he returned within the second quarter.

Though it was an analogous act, Embiid didn’t obtain the identical punishment Green received.

“It is what it is,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers mentioned throughout an on-court interview following the primary quarter.

“That’s what teams do now. Then when you respond, you get suspended, so we have to be very careful.”

During the Warriors’ Game 2 loss to the Kings, Green stomped on Sabonis’ chest after the latter grabbed Greens’ ankle whereas mendacity on the court docket following a Warriors possession.

Green, after riling up and fascinating with opposing Kings followers, subsequently acquired a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected for the sport.

Green was suspended for one recreation, which means he’ll miss Game 3 on Friday [AEST].

Unlike Green, Embiid doesn’t have a historical past of soiled or unsportsmanlike performs, which NBA govt vice chairman and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars cited as one of many fundamental causes Green acquired a suspension.

Embiid received off to a gradual begin in Friday’s recreation, ending the primary quarter with simply two factors on 1-for-3 capturing from the sector whereas lacking each of his first two 3-pointers.

Claxton, however, began the sport strongly with the Nets combating to keep away from an 0-3 gap, nailing his first three area targets, together with the dunk over Embiid.

A couple of key buckets from Tyrese Maxey, who completed with 25 factors, ended up being sufficient to see Philadelphia house because the Sixers took a 3-0 collection lead.

This article first appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission.