Already tough in the first two innings, the series between the Sixers and the Nets reached the next level tonight with two techniques, two Flagrant and two expulsions in the victory of Philadelphia in Brooklyn! For James Hardenguilty of a flagrant 2 fault for having touched the private parts of Royce O’Neale, this expulsion is “unacceptable”!
“This Flagrant 2 foul is unacceptable. This is the first time I have been expelled. I’m not labeled as a mean player, and I didn’t touch him in the private parts.” assures the leader of the Sixers. “When someone is stuck on you like that, it’s a natural reaction. I didn’t hit him hard, and getting a Flagrant 2 is unacceptable. It’s a playoff game. We see much worse things than this gesture. Frankly, I didn’t even think there was a fault. This is unacceptable, and it cannot exist. »
Joel Embiid, the kick of discord
Asked to go into the details of his gesture, Harden explains that he didn’t even nudge or gesture, and just released his hand. He still does not understand that it could be an offensive foul.
On the Brooklyn side, it’s leniency with Joel Embiid that we don’t understand. After only three minutes of play, Joel Embiid is on the ground after an alley-oop of Nic Claxton over his head, and the young Nets interior steps over Embiid before returning to defense. In the NBA, players hate it, and Embiid kicks Claxton, also in the games!
Jacque Vaughn can’t believe it!
It’s not as violent as Draymond Green, but it’s still a dangerous move and above all it has no place on the pitch. The referees only give him a Flagrant 1, while Claxton gets a technical. It will be important since Claxton will then be expelled after receiving a second technique for having chambered Embiid after a new dunk…
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in my career” Jacque Vaughn gets carried away. “You have someone who intentionally kicks a place where no one wants to be kicked, and he continues to play… I’ve never seen that in a game. It was intentional! »
For his part, Embiid assures that he did everything to keep calm. “Throughout the match, we saw what they were trying to do… They tried to get me out of my mind. But I’m too important for the team. After the first action, I realized that I was too important to get involved in this kind of thing. This is the second time that [quelqu’un] hit me on the back [et] this was not reviewed by the referees. My back, my knee, I’m affected every time… It’s very good, it works for them. But, you know, you just have to keep moving forward.”
