NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden made direct contact with a Nets player’s hip during a swing. Joel Embiid’s kick to another player landed at the safety.
That’s why Harden was ejected and Embiid ejected in Thursday night’s Game 3 of Philadelphia’s 102-97 win..
While Harden was dribbling, Royce O’Neal guarded closely reached out and struck O’Neill, who fell to the court in pain. After the refs reviewed the play and looked at evidence of where O’Neal was hit, they called Harden an open foul 2, an automatic ejection.
“Based on the point of direct contact with the pelvis, it rose to the point of excess and discharge,” said Tony Brothers, president of the group.
Two quarters ago, the 76ers were probably lucky Embiid wasn’t given the same penalty.
He kicked his leg up Nets center Nick Claxton’s hipA worse looking but less flamboyant 1 given play than Harden’s.
Claxton had dunked and Embiid fell to the court after fouling him. Claxton then slowly stepped on Embiid, kicking his leg into Claxton’s upper leg before both teammates rushed over.
After a video review, Embiid was given a flagrant foul of 1.
Embiid initially joked that he didn’t remember the play, but said he knew he couldn’t participate in any more fights after it happened.
“You could see what they were doing the whole game, trying to get a rebound off me,” Embiid said. “I’m very valuable, especially after the first one.
“I understood that I was too valuable to enter this thing.”
Nets fans, angry that the two-time scoring champion was not ejected, cheered after the decision. Golden State’s Draymond Green was ejected Kings center Domantas Sabonis was suspended from Game 2 of the Warriors’ series against Sacramento through Game 3 after stepping on him.
“The contact was deemed unnecessary and based on the point of contact with the foot, it did not rise to the level of excessiveness,” Brothers said.
Nets coach Jack Walk can’t believe Embiid wasn’t fired.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy intentionally kick someone in an area that none of us wanted to kick or aim at and he continued to play,” Vaughn said. . “I’ve never seen that before. A game and a guy can keep playing. On purpose.”
Claxton received a technical foul for stepping on Embiid and was ejected in the fourth quarter when he picked up a second technical.
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