
Sunday afternoon saw Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers facing off against Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks had narrowly won the first two games at Madison Square Garden, but Philadelphia responded with a victory in the third game, fueled by a stellar shooting performance in the third quarter. Game 4 presented an opportunity for the 76ers to even the series before returning to New York City.
During the early stages of Sunday’s game, 76ers guard Kyle Lowry found himself at the center of controversy after drawing a foul call that awarded him three free throws. The incident occurred while he was being defended by Jalen Brunson, who went down during the play. Lowry then appeared to intentionally trip over Brunson and tossed the ball towards the backboard, resulting in a whistle from the referees.
Many fans expressed confusion and disbelief over the foul call, particularly considering it happened in an NBA playoff game.
“Lowry showing Brunson and Embiid who the OG Foul grifter really is,” remarked one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, alluding to the reputations of Joel Embiid and Jalen Brunson as notorious floppers.
“Absolutely NOT a foul under NBA rules and guidance,” another user asserted.
Some observers pointed out that it was actually Embiid who seemed to initiate the contact by tripping Brunson before Brunson seemingly exaggerated the contact with Lowry.
“Embiid trips Brunson, Lowry looks down at Brunson then flops into him. 3 fts!!” noted another user.
The first-round series between the Knicks and 76ers has become emblematic of the ongoing officiating issues plaguing the NBA. In Game 2 on Monday evening, tensions rose as the 76ers disputed a critical play at the game’s conclusion.
With Philadelphia holding a slim five-point lead, Jalen Brunson sank a crucial three-pointer with about twenty seconds remaining, narrowing the margin to two points. However, on the subsequent inbounds pass, Kyle Lowry attempted to find his teammate Tyrese Maxey, who appeared to be fouled multiple times without a call from the officials. Instead, the sequence resulted in a turnover, leading to a three-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo of the Knicks, ultimately sealing the victory for New York.
Then, during Game 3 on Thursday, Joel Embiid was involved in a controversial incident when he visibly and intentionally grabbed the ankles of Mitchell Robinson, causing him to fall—a move widely condemned as a dirty play. Despite the clear infraction, only a Flagrant Foul penalty one was assessed, leading many fans to speculate that if any other player had committed the act, it would have warranted a Flagrant Foul penalty two.
It’s evident that the NBA could benefit from a game in this series free from officiating controversies, yet unfortunately, Sunday’s matchup did not provide respite from the ongoing issues.