In what was a surprise to virtually no one, the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics matchup featured a fracas between a few of the features stars. Joel Embiid and Marcus Smart got tangled up underneath the paint and things got physical quickly.
Check out the two fiery competitors get heated after going for a rebound:
Joel Embiid and Marcus Smart going at it on Opening Night š”
The NBA is back šæpic.twitter.com/G9Wxy2iaMh
ā ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 19, 2022
The sequence resulted in a technical foul being issued to Marcus Smart while Joel Embiid was able to walk away without repercussions. After the game, Smart was vocal about why the ruling was wrongly against his favor and how the punishments would've been handed out differently if the shoe was on the other foot:
āWent for a rebound. Basketball play, went for a steal. My arm's still stuck in there and he tries to break it. And I'm the only one who gets a tech. Everybody saw it. If I did that, I'm probably ejected, suspended. Three games, four games, fines. ā¦ Defending DPOY and that's how he gets treated? It's tough. I could have cracked his head open, but I didn't. That's the maturity we have,ā
"My arm was still stuck in there and he tries to break it. I'm the only one who gets a tech. Everybody saw itā¦ I could have cracked his head open, but I didn't."
Marcus Smart on his altercation with Joel Embiid š
(via @RealBobManning)pic.twitter.com/Dy9hN8QlMV
ā ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 19, 2022
Marcus Smart does have a legitimate gripe to make in that scenario given the dangerous position he found himself in that, up close, could have ended with him getting a separated shoulder had his muscles not held up.
But at the end of the day, his Celtics were able to come away with an opening night victory. Joel Embiid would gladly take the tech instead if it meant the Sixers ended up the victors.
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