PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers rallied to beat the Spurs 111-106 regardless of a chaotic opening half that included Joel Embiid getting ejected after drawing two fast technical fouls for arguing a cost name — and one other ejection for teammate Andre Drummond that was later rescinded in a weird scene Monday evening.
Driving to the basket in transition as San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama tried to defend, Embiid plowed into the 20-year-old French phenom, knocking him to the ground. Embiid was whistled for a charging foul with 2:59 left within the first half.
Embiid stood up instantly and vehemently argued the decision, resulting in a technical foul from referee Jenna Schroeder as the middle headed towards the Philadelphia bench.
Once close to the bench space, a livid Embiid charged towards the officers and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, coach Nick Nurse and a number of other assistants as Schroeder issued one other technical foul, resulting in Embiid’s second profession ejection.
Embiid received near Schroeder throughout the preliminary technical foul, however it wasn’t clear from replays whether or not he made contact with the official. After the sport, crew chief Curtis Blair stated to a pool reporter that there was “incidental contact with each of them” throughout the sequence, however added, “There was nothing that warranted any additional punishment.”
Nurse stated he by no means acquired a proof for Embiid’s ejection.
“I could not ever actually get to the referee that known as it,” Nurse stated. “So, I used to be asking the opposite guys and so they have been saying to ask her, and I by no means actually received an opportunity. I simply assume it was [for] arguing or no matter.”
Blair stated that Embiid was ejected for 2 unsportsmanlike technical fouls.
Wearing a masks whereas enjoying in simply his second sport since struggling a sinus fracture, Embiid had 9 factors and three rebounds in 14 minutes, capturing 2-for-8. He entered the sport averaging 22.3 factors, 7.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
It was the second ejection of the quarter by Schroeder, though the primary was rescinded in an odd sequence. Drummond, the 76ers’ reserve heart, was whistled for a technical foul with 8:13 remaining within the first half after pushing Wembanyama to the ground as the 2 battled below the basket. Seconds later, Drummond appeared to push Wembanyama down once more.
Drummond was initially known as for his second technical foul and ejected. After video evaluation, nevertheless, the officers rescinded the ejection. Then, they assessed Wembanyama with a technical foul for flopping. Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey made the free throw, just for the officers to rescind the “unsportsmanlike flop” technical, take away the purpose from the 76ers’ complete and restart the sport.
“The entire factor was actually unusual,” Nurse stated.
According to the pool report, it was decided that Drummond stepped on Wembanyama’s foot and the contact was deemed incidental.
Drummond, who had already departed for the locker room, was seen on the printed placing his jersey again on as he got here down the tunnel towards the court docket.
“He simply stepped on my foot, and I fell,” Wembanyama stated. “I did not anticipate the foul to be known as. I simply fell.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, who’s in cost as Gregg Popovich recovers from a stroke, agreed.
“I do not suppose it was a foul on them, and I do not suppose it was a flop [on Wembanyama],” he stated. “That’s sort of how I noticed it as much as that time.”
Those incidents led to Philadelphia followers relentlessly booing Wembanyama each time he touched the ball. He completed with 26 factors, 9 rebounds and eight blocks. But Maxey scored 32 factors and made two essential performs within the ultimate minute to assist the 76ers full the comeback.
Embiid, who was enjoying in simply his eighth sport, returned to the court docket after the win and was smiling as he celebrated along with his teammates.
Embiid didn’t handle the incident afterward. According to a staff official, Embiid left the sector when reporters have been within the locker room for postgame media availability.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
