Joel Embiid went off for a playoff career-high 50 points to get the Sixers on the board in game three against the Knicks, but it didn’t come without controversy.
The former MVP was called for a flagrant one foul against Mitchell Robinson when he yanked at the Knicks center’s ankle as he went up for a putback while Embiid was on the ground, after Embiid extended his leg into Isaiah Hartenstein’s groin area, a play that was reviewed and ruled as an offensive foul.
Tom Thibodeau clearly felt the foul should have also been a flagrant, as he sounded off on the officiating after the Knicks loss.
“Which one? The one they called, or the one they didn't call?” Thibodeau said when asked about the flagrant foul on Embiid. “Just want to make sure we have clarity on that.
“They had what, 33 free throws?”
Philly did indeed have 33 foul shots compared to the Knicks’ 19, a disparity that Thibodeau wasn’t too pleased with. Regardless, the Knicks now look to take game four on Sunday before heading back to New York.
“[Brunson] ended up with 12 free throws. A lot of those came at the end,” Thibodeau said. “I’ll look at it again, I'll send my clips in like I do every game, and They'll say 'marginal contact.' Then we'll have marginal contact on Embiid and he'll be at the line 21 times. That's the way it works.”