Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a massive win on Thursday night as they logged their first victory in their first-round series against the New York Knicks. This was thanks in large part to a jaw-dropping 50-point explosion by Embiid, who led the Sixers to a much-needed 125-114 win at the Wells Fargo Arena.
As usual, the game did not end without controversy.
New York Knicks News: Joel Embiid Called Out for ‘Dirty’ Foul
Embiid was assessed for a Flagrant 1 in the first quarter of the game after this foul on Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson:
Joel Embiid intentionally tries to injure Mitchell Robinson 😳pic.twitter.com/aCwMtlxJ1e
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 26, 2024
Robinson was playing through an ankle issue in this one, which had him listed as questionable heading into Thursday’s contest. The oft-injured center lasted only 12 minutes before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest due to a sprained left ankle.
After the game, the Knicks players aired their grievance on Embiid’s role in Robinson’s injury. According to Josh Hart, the Sixers big man’s actions could have led to a serious problem for Robinson:
"Happy Mitch didn't get a serious injury on that… I'm all for tough fouls, tough playoff fouls, but that's something that can put a guy out for a significant amount of time."
– Josh Hart on Joel Embiid's flagrant 1 foul on Mitchell Robinson pic.twitter.com/vWzfAutdz4
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 26, 2024
Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo also shared their thoughts on the incident. DiVincenzo, in particular, called Embiid out for what the former believes was a “dirty” play:
Donte DiVincenzo called Joel Embiid’s Flagrant 1 on Mitchell Robinson a ‘dirty’ play. Isaiah Hartenstein said it ‘wasn’t a basketball play.’ Josh Hart said it was a reckless play and Knicks were fortunate that Robinson avoided a severe ankle injury.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 26, 2024
Mitchell Robinson Seen in Walking Boot
Unfortunately for the Knicks, it’s now possible that Robinsons will be forced to miss Game 4 on Saturday. The 26-year-old was seen in a walking boot as he exited the arena:
Knicks C Mitchell Robinson left the arena in a walking boot after the loss to the Sixers 🙏
(via @JakeLFischer) pic.twitter.com/v2Syu0duV3
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 26, 2024
If Robinson is forced to miss time, it’s going to be Hartenstein who’s going to have to shoulder the majority of the frontcourt minutes against Embiid.
For More NBA Content:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @HardwoodHeroics. You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest NBA news, click here!
