In a nail-biting clash at Madison Square Garden, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers encountered a setback in their ambitions, succumbing to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round. The match, characterized by its intense final moments, saw Sixers’ standout Embiid and head coach Nick Nurse openly express their frustration with the officiating, convinced it played a pivotal role in determining the result.
Joel Embiid’s Controversial Calls Lead to Playoff Drama
The Sixers, who had maintained a slight lead through much of the game, found themselves undone by a flurry of events in the final moments. Embiid expressed his dissatisfaction post-game, pinpointing missed calls and a crucial ignored timeout request that he feels swayed the game unfairly in favor of the Knicks.
“Everybody on the floor was trying to call a timeout,” Embiid recounted to reporters from Sixers Wire. “Myself included. Nico (Batum), the coach on the sideline, but they didn’t give it to us. There’s a bunch of fouls—that’s unacceptable.”
There is no way people can actually be mad at Joel Embiid for saying this
He’s absolutely right and it is fair to make these comments
You can point the finger in a ton of places but what the Knicks takeover meant is Sixers fans have lost faith pic.twitter.com/5yE1MvNRCy
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) April 29, 2024
Coach Nurse’s Timeout Turmoil
Echoing his player’s sentiments, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse detailed his own experience with the game’s final chaotic seconds. Despite clearly signaling for a timeout, Nurse claimed the referees neglected his requests—a pivotal oversight as the Knicks capitalized with back-to-back three-pointers.
“I call timeout. The referee looked right at me, ignored me, went into Tyrese, I called timeout again, and then the melee started,” Nurse explained, frustration evident in his tone. “I guess I gotta run onto the floor or do something to make sure and get his attention, but we needed a timeout there to advance it.”
Joel Embiid’s Confidence Unshaken
Despite the setback and trailing 0-2 in the series, Embiid remained defiant about the Sixers’ prospects. With the next games set to take place in Philadelphia, the MVP candidate was bullish about their chances to overturn the deficit.
“We should be 2-0 so we’re good,” Embiid asserted confidently. “We’re gonna win this series. We know what we gotta fix. We did a better job today so we’re gonna fix it, but we’re the better team. We’re gonna keep fighting.”
The Sixers now face a significant challenge as they prepare to host the Knicks at Wells Fargo Center for Game 3. The stakes are high, and the atmosphere in Philadelphia will undoubtedly reflect the tension and high drama of this playoff series. As the teams prepare, all eyes will be on how the Sixers adjust and respond to the pressure—and the officiating—moving forward.
