If there's one thing which annoys Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, it's his flagrant foul count.
Embiid reached a boiling point when officials called him for his third flagrant foul of the playoffs on May 9, per The Athletic senior Sixers writer Derek Bonder. He called it “annoying” and “stupid.”
Joel Embiid on picking up his 3rd flagrant foul of the playoffs: "It's annoying. Stupid. I feel like the one in Brooklyn should have been rescinded…It's just basketball." Says he doesn't feel like the one tonight or the one in Brooklyn (block on Allen) were warranted.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) May 10, 2019
USA TODAY's Moke Hamilton explains how Embiid picked up his third flagrant foul of the postseason during Philly's 112-101 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors in Game 6 on Thursday.
During the game's fourth quarter, with the Sixers leading the Raptors by 21 points, Embiid was called for a Flagrant 1 foul against Marc Gasol in the face as the two were jockeying for rebounding position.
For Embiid, the flagrant foul gives him three flagrant foul points accrued in the postseason. The last time Embiid was called for a flagrant foul was during Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets, but the points accumulate.
By rule, once a player accumulates four flagrant foul points, he will face a mandatory suspension.
With that in mind, Embiid is officially on the bubble. Committing one more flagrant foul will force him to sit out a game or two (depending on the classification of Embiid's next flagrant foul). That will cost the Sixers big time in their championship aspirations.
Replay Review (Game Crew): if a potential hostile act was committed by Embiid in Q4 of #TORatPHI. Ruling: Flagrant foul penalty 1 assessed to Embiid for unnecessary contact made with Gasol. pic.twitter.com/4OoXbEZEuh
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 10, 2019
Should Philadelphia prevail in Game 7 against Toronto and if Joel Embiid must serve a suspension, it would be hard for the Sixers to contain NBA MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Joel Embiid knows he's skating on thin ice right now. He can only hope he can stay away from his fourth flagrant foul in the playoffs.
