Opening night between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics was not short in action. Emotions were running high as these two teams tried their best to make a statement on the first day of the new season. It was only a matter of time before tempers started to flare between the Sixers and the C's.
Marcus Smart saw his left arm caught under Joel Embiid during a rebound play. The Sixers star yanked at Smart's arm as Embiid tried to secure the rebound. Smart did not appreciate the gesture, and it caused a bit of a ruckus between the players (h/t ClutchPoints on Twitter):
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
Smart pulled on Embiid's leg as the Sixers big man was walking away. The Sixers star fell to the ground, but it seemed like it was due to a wet spot on the floor. Jaylen Brown rushed to Embiid to confront him, and the pair had to be separated by teammates.
For their part, the Celtics fans in attendance clearly weren't happy about what went down, and they made sure to let their feelings known about it:
"F**k Embiid!"
Celtics fans let Joel Embiid hear it š³pic.twitter.com/mvqzuGjqrW
ā ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 19, 2022
The good news is that the fracas died down as quickly as it escalated. In the end, it was just much ado about nothing.
A lot is on the line in this game with the Celtics looking to mark their first win after their heartbreaking loss in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Boston also honored the late, great Bill Russell before tip-off, so this also has to be a factor in their minds. The Sixers, on the other hand, are coming off a second-round exit from the playoffs last term, and they definitely want to make a big statement early on.
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