Joel Embiid's Antics Are Quietly Big Factor That Could Doom Knicks

Joel Embiid guarded in a previous matchup against the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The 76ers' surprise advancement to the NBA postseason's second round creates a few unique headaches for the Knicks. Top of mind is how to slow down star guard Tyrese Maxey, who poses matchup fits for New York's starting personnel.

Then there are all the problems Joel Embiid's presence creates now that he's back and in decent shape health-wise before Game 1. A special issue with the dominant big man is how reliant he is on a friendly whistle and on selling any bit of contact to secure easy points at the line that can alter the course of games.

Should Embiid successfully bait the Knicks' bigs into foul trouble throughout this series, the impacts will be massive.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson can't fall for the traps Joel Embiid will set in their series

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson can't let Joel Embiid get in their heads. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The first round was a stark reminder that Embiid will go to extreme lengths to make the game easier for him when it comes to fouls. The Celtics constantly complained about the former No. 1 pick's flopping, with Jaylen Brown even trying to get the league's attention on the matter, yet it didn't result in any change from the refs.

As a result of his efforts, Embiid was awarded a staggering 37 free throws in just four games against Boston. He nailed 31 of them for an 83.8% clip. Even more, Embiid drew 32 personal fouls on the C's for an average of 8.0 per game.

That trend makes Embiid's antics a two-pronged problem for Mike Brown and co. The big man earning himself over nine free throws a game in the playoffs represents nine chances at easier points, which add up in a hurry and will matter if there are more games decided by a point or two in the Knicks' future.

Jaylen Brown on Joel Embiid:

“We didn't really have the answers for him. We tried a bunch of different things. He's a big body. He also was flopping around. He got some extra calls ... they rewarded him for that, but that's the league we’re in.”pic.twitter.com/bQosQyHZk8

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 3, 2026

Embiid's extracurricular activities also could come at a major cost to Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and the team as a whole if those two get unfriendly whistles. New York's offense is in a completely new place, with Towns operating at its center; meanwhile, Robinson allows the team to maintain a size advantage when the springy seven-footer is on the court while Towns sits.

Foul trouble would help reduce the potential influence both can have on any given game. Towns' playmaking and incredibly efficient scoring are sorely needed right now, especially with Mikal Bridges falling off a cliff for most of the first round and Miles McBride being streaky in these playoffs. Robinson can also help shape games even in a rotational role because of the space he takes up and the energy he provides.

Having both bigs available to rotate guarding Embiid is important, given the lack of size New York has outside of them. Otherwise, the Brown would be forced to throw a wing on the 76ers' star, setting up a physicality mismatch that could make Embiid near-unstoppable.

Knicks' big-man duo can help dictate rebounding flow

That's not even to mention how important Towns and Robinson are for controlling the boards, especially against Philly. The Sixers were No. 11 in second-chance points during the regular season, with over 15 a game. Meanwhile, this area was also incredibly helpful for the Knicks in the first round, as they averaged 18.3 against the Hawks.

Joel Embiid got free throws for dribbling the ball of his foot.

His whistle is INSANE 😭 pic.twitter.com/5ZpyxUGLbI

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 29, 2026

Extra possessions will mean fewer chances for Embiid, Maxey and the others to score. It'll also give Embiid fewer opportunities to draw fouls on defense. And it'll directly counteract a 76ers squad that was No. 9 in fast-break points (16.9) during the 2025-26 campaign.

All of these levers the Knicks can pull to make things more manageable against a pesky Philadelphia team go away if Embiid keeps Towns and Robinson off the court with foul troubles. He already had success against both in the regular season on this front, averaging 14.2 free throws attempted across 48 possessions guarded by Robinson, and 16.0 FTAs across 38 possessions guarded by Towns.

That should make this a priority for the Knicks' staff to ensure their bigs are properly equipped for this challenging assignment. Otherwise, Brown and co. would be setting up the team for disaster if his centers are forced to take a seat with prolonged foul trouble this series.