PHILADELPHIA – 76ers star Joel Embiid was ejected within the second quarter of Monday’s 111-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs for berating an official after he was referred to as for a cost towards Victor Wembanyama in what was an emotional, controversial sport.
The Embiid ejection, which may include larger penalties, happened with 2:59 left within the quarter after he barrelled into Wembanyama on his approach to the ring. Wembanyama, who had already compiled seven blocks at that time, was shifting when the collision occurred but in addition gave the impression to be in entrance of Embiid.
After the whistle, Embiid turned incensed and screamed at referee Jennifer Schroeder. She issued a technical as he was towering over her after which ejected him. Embiid was so indignant, he needed to be restrained.
Joel Embiid has been ejected for the second time in his profession. pic.twitter.com/4ziLzv7S3V
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 24, 2024
If the NBA finds that Embiid made contact with Schroeder whereas arguing, or even when the league determines Embiid tried to menace or intimidate the official, the 7-footer and 2023 MVP could possibly be suspended by the NBA — and the Sixers’ subsequent sport is on Christmas towards the Boston Celtics.
In an interview with a pool reporter after the sport, the officiating crew’s chief, Curtis Blair, mentioned there was “incidental contact with each of them (Embiid and Schroeder), nevertheless it was incidental in nature. There was nothing that warranted any additional punishment.”
Embiid left the Philadelphia locker room with out chatting with reporters. Sixers coach Nick Nurse mentioned he had assumed the ejection was for arguing.
Within the first quarter, Wembanyama appeared to hook Embiid on protection and there was no name — Embiid argued with Schroeder to demand a whistle. He was already stewing at her, and feelings have been operating excessive within the sport typically, when Embiid was referred to as for that fateful cost.
The Sixers, who entered Monday with a disappointing 9-17 file in what has been a season stuffed with harm and controversy, led the sport 48-45 at halftime. They closed out their tenth win due to the late heroics of Tyrese Maxey, who completed with a game-high 32 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Philadelphia went on a 9-3 run within the closing minute, with Maxey contributing six of these factors for Philadelphia. The Spurs, who’re 15-14 this season and likewise play on Christmas, dedicated two key turnovers within the closing minute.
TYRESE. MAXEY. pic.twitter.com/Of8kwyDMhv
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2024
Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 3s. His eight blocks have been two wanting matching his profession excessive. He has 18 blocks within the final two video games, together with seven within the first half on Monday.
“When he (Embiid) bought ejected, they’re a unique workforce. They performed actually good basketball,” Wembanyama mentioned.
When requested if Philadelphia’s offense went away from him after he swatted away seven photographs in two quarters, Wembanyama mentioned, “There’s that consciousness, but in addition, their lineup modified.”
The lineup modified not solely due to Embiid’s ejection but in addition due to an earlier dust-up Wembanyama had with Embiid’s backup.
Earlier within the second quarter, Schroeder tried to eject Andre Drummond for what she apparently thought was an intentional journey on Wembanyama, who fell to the court docket. Drummond had simply been whistled for a foul for knocking Wembanyama to the ground, and when Wemby wound up on the court docket once more, with Drummond proper subsequent to him, Schroeder appeared to suppose Drummond had escalated the state of affairs.
Replay confirmed that there was no intentional contact on Drummond’s half, and referees initially modified the decision to a flop on Wembanyama, which led to a technical foul shot from Maxey.
Then, with no public rationalization on the time (referees usually clarify over the sector loudspeaker why they modify calls after video opinions), the refs revoked Wemby’s flop, took the technical foul shot off the scoreboard and Drummond got here charging again out of the tunnel and into the sport.
“After the evaluation, it was decided that Drummond stepped on Wembanyama’s foot and it was deemed incidental contact,” Blair later mentioned.
Maybe it was Drummond’s destiny to not be round for the top of the sport; he was dominated out after halftime with a toe bruise. It’s unclear if he suffered the toe bruise when stepping on Wembanyama’s foot, however the timing was curious, if nothing else.
“Simply the entire thing was actually unusual,” Nurse mentioned of the Drummond-Wemby ordeal.
Embiid, who has performed in simply eight video games this season attributable to harm, had 9 factors on the time of the ejection. This was solely the fifth sport Embiid, Paul George and Maxey — Philadelphia’s massive 3 — performed in a sport collectively this season. In three of these video games, not less than one in all them didn’t make it all through.
The ejection marked the second of Embiid’s profession and his first since 2019. He was suspended earlier this season for 3 video games for shoving a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist who had referenced Embiid’s son in a column criticizing Embiid for not enjoying to begin the yr.
Embiid isn’t the one Sixer who may have his actions from Monday reviewed. Maxey may be going through a effective for making a gesture that could possibly be construed as him mimicking holding a gun after he hit a 3 within the closing 30 seconds to increase Philadelphia’s lead.
Wembanyama, in the meantime, was booed closely by the Philadelphia crowd for many of the sport, beginning when he tied up Embiid and didn’t get referred to as for it within the first quarter. It solely escalated from there, and now he has his first Christmas sport within the NBA at midday on Wednesday in Madison Sq. Backyard towards the New York Knicks.
“I’ve seen a lot, a lot worse, so, this was nothing,” Wembanyama mentioned.
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(Photograph: Emilee Chinn / Getty Pictures)
