The Philadelphia 76ers appeared to be in big trouble at the 4:12 mark of the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers when Joel Embiid was called for an offensive foul. It appeared he pushed Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley with his right elbow. The officials called the offensive foul, meaning Embiid had fouled out.
However, coach Doc Rivers called a timeout and challenged the call. After a review, the officials overturned the call to a non-call. The basket Embiid made on the play counted, and the Sixers went on to win, 118-109, for their sixth straight win.
Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff was not happy with the call. Embiid, on the other hand, knew it wasn’t an offensive foul.
“I think it was a good call,” Embiid told reporters. “I never extended my arm and I never really put a lot of pressure into hitting him and you could tell right before the hit, he was already trying to flop and fall. I think that’s what they saw. I’m just glad I stayed on the floor and get this win.”
While Embiid claimed that he was confident that it wasn’t a foul, Rivers said the big fella believed it was an offensive foul initially.
“I actually thought he (Mobley) flopped on the play, so I really didn’t think that Jo would be fouled out,” Rivers told reporters. “Jo did. That’s what scared me because he just felt like they were calling — but no, I felt good about that. It’s rare that I don’t turn around and look at our guy. I was standing there. So I called that one right away and we had a timeout that we were gonna lose under three anyway.”
Embiid, who watches a ton of basketball on the days he isn’t playing, reiterated that he didn’t think it was a foul and that the officials got it right.
“I didn’t think I extended anything,” he added. “I watch basketball every day and based on the way, those are officiated, especially, we got some guys that basically play like running backs in this league that get that call all the time and I was pretty confident that they wouldn’t call it the other way.”
Joel Embiid was called for his sixth foul.
Doc Rivers challenged the call and was successful. pic.twitter.com/AI0K4jt6qp
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 16, 2023
Embiid and the Sixers head to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Friday and continue this stretch of seven of eight games on the road.
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