Playoff thriller marred by series of ‘bizarre’ calls
UPDATE: The NBA world has been left stunned after a thrilling playoff clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets was marred by a pair of ejections and an equally baffling no-call.
Nets big man Nic Claxton and James Harden were both forced to leave the game early as the Sixers overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to win game three 102-97, taking a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. No team has ever come back from an 0-3 hole in a best-of-seven series in NBA history.
The pair of ejections came after Sixers big man and MVP favourite Joel Embiid somehow avoided the same fate despite appearing to blatantly kick at Claxton’s groin area in the first quarter.
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Embiid kicked out at Claxton after the Nets centre had stood over him following an alley-oop dunk.
The referees assessed the play but allowed Embiid to stay in the game, with the MVP favourite’s kick assessed as a flagrant foul penalty one instead of a flagrant two which would’ve seen him ejected. Claxton was given a technical foul for stepping over Embiid.
The baffling decision was made worse two quarters later when Embiid’s star teammate James Harden was assessed flagrant foul two despite what looked to be an inadvertent hit to the groin of Royce O’Neale on a drive attempt.
Fans on social media were left baffled by the call to eject Harden after allowing Embiid to remain in the game.
The decision to leave Embiid in proved crucial, with the seven-footer blocking a vital shot in the dying stages of the game.
Claxton was then ejected from the game after receiving a second technical foul after taunting Embiid following a dunk in the fourth quarter. He’d received his first technical foul for standing over Embiid in the first quarter before being kicked in the groin.
Harden bizarrely ejected from playoff game
The decision to allow Embiid to remain in the game was even more bizarre considering Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was ejected and then suspended for a game for a similar incident.
NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley were also baffled by the apparent double-standard from the league.
“I think it’s the same thing from the other night,” O’Neal said on TNT’s coverage.
“This is where I have a problem, what is the law? It looks the same. Draymond kicked down, he kicked up. What’s the rule?
“I’ve seen something like this the other day, but the guy was ejected and suspended.”
“I think his is worse than Draymond’s,” Barkley added.
“He tried to kick a guy in the junk. He tried to kick him in his private parts, that’s just my opinion.”
Green was thrown out of game two against the Sacramento Kings earlier this week and then suspended for game three after stepping on Kings centre Domantas Sabonis.
The defending champion Warriors head into game three in San Francisco on Friday afternoon down 0-2 in the series.
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