Nic Claxton and Joel Embiid were battling throughout Wednesday night’s matchup in Philadelphia, and late in the first quarter, the two were whistled for double technical fouls after getting in each other’s faces, eventually needing to be separated.
Asked after the game what led to the confrontation, Embiid wouldn’t go into specifics, but made it clear that he didn’t appreciate whatever it was that Claxton said.
“Man, he said something he shouldn't have,” Embiid said. “That's why when I walked up to his face, I told him to say it to my face again. That's why he looked away and he didn't say it again. Because he knows why.”
Claxton held his own against Embiid during Brooklyn’s loss, blocking Embiid on a dunk attempt at the rim, and finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 11-for-12 from the floor. He also added two rejections, including one on Embiid. Meanwhile, Embiid scored 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds on 6-of-18 shooting.
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But Embiid’s Sixers walked away with the win.
“There’s not a lot of times where I get in those situations, but I’m not gonna allow any sort of disrespect,” Embiid said. “That’s why he couldn’t say it to my face again.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1