CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks have played three tough and physical games thus far. The Knicks hold a 2-1 series lead in Round 1, but things were extra chippy in Game 3.
Joel Embiid drew the ire of the Knicks when he committed a flagrant-1 foul on New York big man Mitchell Robinson. One could definitely make the case that it should have been a flagrant-2 and an ejection when considering Embiid grabbed Robinson’s leg.
Afterward, the Knicks were not happy. Donte DiVincenzo called it a dirty play and even former New York big man Charles Oakley got involved with a message to Embiid. Philadelphia’s big man said he was trying to protect himself and Kelly Oubre Jr. fired back at the Knicks in protection of Embiid.
“I’ve seen that happen before and I was on the other end of it,” Oubre said at practice on Saturday. “So at the end of the day, like, I don’t think it’s dirty man. Jo has to protect himself. At the end of the day, I’m not gonna comment on what they’re commenting on because at the end of the day, they’re gonna hit and then we hit back and then they cry, and then vice versa, whatever the case may be.”
Ahead of Game 4 on Sunday, there are some who wonder about the physicality level in that matchup with so much on the line. Philadelphia has a chance to even the series at 2-2 while New York has a chance to go up 3-1. The basketball should be the focus. Not whether guys are going to fight or anything.
“It’s like, let’s just hoop,” Oubre finished. “Let’s go out there and play hard and nobody’s gonna fight. This ain’t WWE. So at the end of the day, stand on the stuff that’ll say so we’ll see tomorrow how they react.”
Game 4 is set for 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday from the Wells Fargo Center.
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