Philadelphia 76ers great Joel Embiid isn't getting any sympathy from New York fans and radio hosts when it comes to complaints about the New York Knicks' physicality in their ongoing playoff series.
On Monday night, the highly anticipated semifinal series between the Knicks and Sixers began at Madison Square Garden. Both teams entered the series performing brilliantly. However, basketball fans only needed three quarters to see that New York was the real team on fire en route to a 137-98 victory.
After the game, to no one's surprise, Philly big man Joel Embiid complained about the Knicks' physicality. Specifically, the moment when his stomach hurt during a screen. The blow left him in pain as the area had been damaged since his appendix was removed a few weeks ago.
Embiid said, "I thought it was unnecessary, but we move on. Whatever it is, it's playoff basketball. If that's the reality of it, I think we have to go out and be physically active as well."
It's hard to know if Mikal Bridges had any malicious intent on the play. But this claim comes just days after Jaylen Brown took aim at Embiid for being a dedicated flopper in their series against the Boston Celtics. This is a few years removed from the series where the center injured Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson with a dirty move. Most people outside of Philadelphia wouldn't feel bad for the seven-time All-Star.
You can add popular midday WFAN host and New York Giants great Tiki Barber to that group. On the Tuesday morning edition of the show he co-hosted with Evan Roberts, the one-time NFL star questioned Embiid's toughness.
"If there's going to be an injury, there's going to be a physical injury, and someone may accidentally or otherwise attack you, then don't play," Barber began by saying. "Remember when I broke my hand in 2000? I had to tape up my other hand because they were literally stepping on it, not knowing my hand was broken. I didn't complain about it. That's part of the risk of injury. So, stop being quiet."
It will be interesting if it is used as bulletin board material in the 76ers locker room before Wednesday's game or if it gets some "unique" chants from Knicks fans inside MSG for Game 2.
