What happened when the San Antonio Spurs visited the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night was a complete disaster regarding how this game was officiated. The continued drop in ratings has been a massive discussion across the NBA, and the officials are directly contributing to this problem, especially when you look at everything that occurred with Victor Wembanyama, Andre Drummond, and Joel Embiid during this game.

Bizarre is the perfect word to describe how this game went, as before Joel Embiid was ejected for his rampage towards the referees, Drummond was ejected for throwing Wembanyama to the court before the ball had been inbounded by San Antonio. In a very unprecedented move, Drummond was ejected and then had this call reversed in the span of a handful of minutes, allowing him to remain in the game and emerge from the locker room after subsequently having money taken out of his pocket by the officials for no reason whatsoever.

As both players battled for position under the basket, it seemed as if Drummond shoved Wembanyama, which prompted a second technical foul to be given to him. After the officials gathered to review the incident, this technical foul was rescinded on the floor, and Wembanyama was the one hit with a technical foul for flopping. Upon Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey making his free throw for the technical given to Wemby, this foul was then called back and the points were taken off the board as if nothing ever happened.

Nobody on the 76ers or Spurs knew what was going on, nor did they know this would eventually lead to the fiasco involving Embiid later on. When questioned about everything that went down on the court with Drummond and the officials in the Spurs' 111-106 loss to the 76ers, Wembanyama shared his honest view of the play that saw two technicals given out and reversed.

“He just stepped on my foot, and I fell,” Wembanyama said, via Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “I didn't expect the foul to be called. I just fell.”

The Spurs star did not address the officials directly, nor did he comment on if he thought the whole matter was handled correctly or not. Interim head coach Mitch Johnson also gave his opinion on the Wembanyama-Drummond situation, claiming that he doesn't think either player was in the wrong and no fouls should've been given out.

“I don't think it was a foul on them, and I don't think it was a flop [on Wembanyama],” Johnson stated. “That's kind of how I saw it up to that point.”

NBA officials admit mistake in 76ers-Spurs game

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shakes hands with referee Jenna Schroeder (20) before against the Philadelphia 76ers the start of action at Wells Fargo Center.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The 76ers and Spurs were lost for words during Monday night's game. There really hasn't ever been an instance of one official ejecting a player, allowing the ejection to be overturned, calling a different technical foul, and then having that foul overturned as well. Not to mention, there really hasn't ever been an instance of the same official who made these mistakes going on to throw one of the best players in the NBA out of the game for arguing calls.

If anything, there was a major power trip going on in Philadelphia during this game, and it had nothing to do with the players or respective teams, which is a major disappointment for the league as a whole.

In the aftermath of the craziness that took place in Wells Fargo Center, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer conducted a pool report with Crew Chief Curtis Blair to set the record straight on everything that happened with Drummond and Wembanyama, as well as the eventual ejection of Embiid.

When questioned about the Drummond-Wembanyama incident, Blair stated that further review of the matter determined that Drummond stepped on Wembanyama’s foot, which was deemed “incidental contact.” Due to Wembanyama tripping over Drummond's foot, the technical foul for “flopping” was reversed. This is also the reason why a point was taken off the board for the 76ers from Maxey's free throw.

At this time, there has been no further comment from the league regarding what happened in Philadelphia between both teams and the officials. It is yet to be seen if Embiid will face further discipline after being thrown out of this contest for blowing up on the officials.

As for Wembanyama and Drummond, this incident is being swept under the rug as if nothing ever happened.