76ers’ Joel Embiid Avoids Ejection After Kicking Nets’ Nic Claxton
The Philadelphia 76ers nearly lost their star center Joel Embiid during their Game 3 matchup in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Thursday night.
Just a few minutes into the matchup, Embiid got tangled up with Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton.
As Nets center Nic Claxton went up for a successful dunk attempt, Embiid fell over. Once Claxton went to step over Embiid, the Sixers center lifted his leg up in a kick motion, which caused some controversy on the court.
As expected, the officials reviewed the play once the dust settled. Although it seemed like there would be a good chance Embiid would find himself ejected from the matchup, he benefitted from the call.
According to the officials, Embiid was charged with a Flagrant One foul call, which didn’t force him to face ejection. Claxton was also issued a technical foul for stepping over Embiid.
As expected, the results of the call did not go over well with the Brooklyn crowd, as they expected the MVP finalist to take the night off early.
Although the Nets won’t benefit from an early Embiid absence, the incident fired Brooklyn up as they put together a quick run to establish an early eight-point lead nearly halfway through the first quarter.
The Nets are searching for their first win in the seven-game series against the Sixers. In the first two games that took place in South Philly, the Sixers were victorious. Now, the Nets are looking to get on the board and avoid an 0-3 scenario before Saturday.
