Sixers news: Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons address heated elbow incident

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the L.A. Clippers on New Year's Day, but the attention was on Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, the fireworks between them.

Early in the third quarter with the Sixers up 79-62, Embiid went up to grab a rebound off the Avery Bradley miss. He boxed out his man, Marcin Gortat, and had the easy rebound bouncing up off the rim and towards him. Simmons was also in the area, went up to grab the rebound with Embiid, and elbowed Embiid in the face.

Embiid immediately dropped the ball inbounds and clutched at his face as he appeared to be in serious pain. The team called timeout, and the big man could be heard on the Sixers' broadcast yelling expletives as he walked towards the bench fuming.

Joel Embiid was heated at Ben Simmons. 😳 pic.twitter.com/dnNs8Vn1NV

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) January 2, 2019

After the game, Embiid addressed the situation with the media, saying he was worried because he thought he re-injured the same side of the face he had surgery on late last season.

“I just went for the ball and I felt an elbow on my face,” said Embiid after the game. “I kind of freaked out also because that's the same side of the face I had the surgery on. It was a basketball play, nothing to talk about.”

“I freaked out because that's where I the surgery so it brought me flashbacks and I wasn't too happy about it.

#Sixers' Joel Embiid on the elbow from Ben Simmons vs. the #Clippers (1/2) – "I just went for the ball & I felt an elbow on my face. I kind of freaked out also because that's the same side of the face I had the surgery on. It was a basketball play, nothing to talk about." pic.twitter.com/R6uoauiF72

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 2, 2019

Meanwhile, Simmons didn't have an answer as to what happened on the play. His only response when prompted was, “coach tells me to crash the boards, so I just went to the boards.”

#Sixers’ Ben Simmons on the incident that had Embiid fuming vs. #Clippers – “I don’t know. Coach tells me to crash the boards, so I just went to the boards.” pic.twitter.com/ySqqYU6adr

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 2, 2019

Sixers coach Brett Brown told reporters not to read into it because it was simply a ‘heat of the moment' type of reaction from Embiid.

“The frustration, the initial fear [of injury]…,” said coach Brown. “Don't read into anything into it.”

The Sixers will now head to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Thursday night on the second-night of a back-to-back set.