Sixers’ Joel Embiid explains what happened on flagrant-1 with Mitchell Robinson

PHILADELPHIA — There was chippiness from the jump in Thursday’s 125-114 Game 3 win over the New York Knicks for the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a critical game for both sides. New York was looking for a 3-0 lead while Philadelphia desperately needed to get back in the series.

Both sides exchanged hard hits early and the chippiness escalated quickly. One one Knicks possession, Joel Embiid found himself in an awkward position on the ground on the defensive end under the basket. Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson tried taking an offensive rebound up for a dunk, and Embiid grabbed his leg while he was mid-air.

The officials reviewed the play and called it a flagrant one, but it easily could have been a flagrant two foul that would have prompted Embiid’s ejection.

“Obviously Mitchell Robinson was jumping,” Embiid explained. “I was trying to make sure he doesn’t land on me, because obviously we know the history that I have with (Jonathan) Kuminga landing on my knee. So I kind of had some flashbacks. It’s unfortunate. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody. It’s just, in those situations, I’ve got to protect myself because I’ve been in way too many situations where I’m always the recipient — the bad end of it.”

To Embiid’s point, he has been through a lot on the floor. The Kuminga play in January essentially caused the meniscus injury that required surgery and sidelined him for two months.

However, the Knicks did not like the play. Donte DiVincenzo got into Embiid’s face to protect Robinson. After the game, Robinson left in a walking boot on his left leg. It appears that what happened with Embiid tweaked the ankle ailment that caused him to miss time.

Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire