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The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Indiana Pacers in overtime on Sunday, 118-114, but that wasn't the only story of the game, one of them involving Joel Embiid, whom the NBA might investigate for his comments about playing back-to-back games. This time, before even suiting up for a game, Embiid already picked up a technical foul a day after the game for waving a towel as Andrew Nembhard missed a free throw. Such an absurd call also gathered more than a few responses from fans.
Check out what made the NBA call a technical foul on Joel Embiid on this video from NBA writer Tomer Azarly on X, formerly Twitter.
Joel Embiid, who has yet to play a single game this season, has already picked up a technical foul for what he did here, the NBA has announced. pic.twitter.com/Ddu2kMWC7H
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 28, 2024
76ers superstar gets a T before scoring points
Fans have called out the NBA for assessing a technical foul on 76ers star Joel Embiid for waving his towel during the Pacers' free throws, a celebration most players have done for years, not just during free throws. An explanation could be that he went onto the court, but he only stepped on the sideline.
Here is user @Princedommm posting a fitting meme of former coach and ESPN commentator Mark Jackson complaining about “bogus referee calls” as a reply to the video.
Really? pic.twitter.com/2XTcS1gkGC
— Prince (@Princedommm) October 28, 2024
Another reply from @pjraduta pointed out the league's treatment of players like Kevin Porter Jr. and Miles Bridges, whose domestic abuse charges didn't exactly prevent them from playing in the NBA.
“Thank god the league is cracking down on this egregious behavior,” the user said. “Meanwhile, Miles Bridges and Kevin Porter Jr got new contracts after physically abusing women to the point of hospitalization.”
However, another commenter poked fun at Embiid not playing a game yet for his team.
“He's a mascot at this point,” @DeeksStan said.
Here is @TheWestWolfPod posting another GIF in reaction to the technical foul call.
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Bro what…. pic.twitter.com/klVyEgECZk
— JDJackson (@TheWestWolfPod) October 28, 2024
This might be the first time in the NBA that a player has received a technical foul before scoring points, as @whristan1 pointed out in his reply to Shams Charania's post.
“Bro has more techs than minutes this season,” they said.
Finally, the poster @HeatvsHaters has some jokes for the NBA's treatment of Embiid.
“The NBA is on Joel's ass right now,” the user said.
Reasons for the call
While Joel Embiid has a right to try preserving his health, especially in light of nagging injuries to players like Kawhi Leonard, the NBA is still a corporate enterprise that wants to make as much money as possible, and Embiid is one of their biggest moneymakers.
Especially with Paul George out due to injury, the NBA wants their biggest faces to play as many games as possible.
This tension between the league's business interests and player health could explain the NBA's crackdown on load management, though it comes in absurd ways as Sunday's technical foul.
However, the 76ers will need either Embiid or George to suit up soon, or else their hopes as a contender will go up in smoke together with all the money they paid both stars.
