Brett Brown has a lot of work ahead of him before Game 2 his team's first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets. The Philadelphia 76ers were flat-out embarrassed on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center, trailing by double-digits throughout the game en route to a stunning 111-102 loss. Making things worse for Philadelphia, superstar big man Joel Embiid, whose playing status for Game 1 was uncertain until minutes before tipoff, was clearly hampered by nagging left knee pain, putting his effectiveness for the series' remainder in serious doubt.
Unfortunately for Brown, though, he'll have more to deal with between now and Monday night than just strategic adjustments and Embiid's health. Midway through the fourth quarter of Game 1, with the Sixers down 16 points, the television broadcast showed a replay of Amir Johnson and Embiid looking at text messages on the former's phone — not just a violation of NBA rules, but an action that seemed to convey their lack of concern over what was transpiring on the floor.
When asked about the incident after the game, Brown strongly condemned Johnson and Embiid, but admitted he was unaware of any specific details of the situation.
“It's completely unacceptable, and second, we will deal with it internally I'm sure very soon,” he said, per Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.
“I can't comment [any further]. I only learned walking down the hallway, and so I stay with those two points. It is not something that we are about, and I really don't even know…I think all of us should sort of learn a little bit more than certainly I do,” Brown continued. “But on first glance it is not something that we are and certainly don't condone, and the club will deal with it.”
Minutes later, Embiid took the post-game podium Brown had just vacated. When asked about his involvement in Johnson's cell phone use, Embiid said his teammate was checking his text messages because his daughter is “extremely sick.”
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