
Joel Embiid Says the Nets Took the "Nick Nurse Route Begging for Free Throws"
Joel Embiid got straight to the point on Monday night, calling out Brooklyn going the Nick Nurse route after game one:
Embiid said he saw what the Nets and Vaughn said after Game 1 regarding the officiating: “They kind of took the Nick Nurse route of begging for free throws”
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) April 18, 2023
Remember, Nick Nurse bitched to the refs last year after Embiid torched the Raptors in Game 1:
🔥Raptors coach Nick Nurse feels Sixers got all the calls in game 1
Nurse not happy with the Refs ahead of game 2 vs Sixers
“I hope they have enough guts to at least stop the game, and look at that stuff tonight”#Sixers #Raptors #NickNurse #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/lrVFDLKxft
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) April 18, 2022
He complained about “wild elbows” being thrown, but all I remember is one guy leaving that series with a broken face:
Nick Nurse not happy with the whistle on Embiid. "If we're legal defensively, we've gotta have a call, or we don't have a chance. Nobody can guard that guy if they're gonna let him run you over." Points out beating him to spots & wild elbows.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) April 17, 2022
The refs certainly let them play on Monday night. There were only 33 foul shots taken. 42 fouls called altogether. James Harden has still yet to shoot a free throw in this series and it looked like he was begging for calls. Embiid only shot eight himself. At one point Mikal Bridges tackled Harden to free Cam Johnson in the first half:
https://twitter.com/kylepaganCB/status/1648120025130184709?s=20
By the second the refs lightened up a little:
Joel Embiid WYD; Sixers pic.twitter.com/FOrwCvl13U
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 18, 2023
It was a physical game and the Nets were still out-rebounded by 27. Who knows what happens if Tyrese Maxey doesn’t go nuclear or Doc doesn’t deliver the ‘cmon guys’ speech? But if the refs are gonna listen to Vaughn and swallow the whistles I think the Nets can maybe steal one in Brooklyn. This series is over. They gave the 76ers their best shot last night. We’re on to Boston. Maybe Joel can tell coach to stop bitching about calls by the end of the series. Respectfully:
Joel Embiid reveals what he spoke to Nick Nurse about at the end of the game. 😳 pic.twitter.com/tvijo6r3Hc
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 19, 2022