Embiid gets flagrant 1 for kicking Nets' Claxton

NEW YORK — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid received a flagrant foul 1 after kicking Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton in the first quarter of Thursday night’s game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Claxton fouled Embiid less than three minutes into Game 3 of the first-round series, and then stepped over Embiid while the superstar laid on the ground. Embiid then kicked up at Claxton’s midsection as he stood over him, causing both teams to rush together.

After a lengthy review, Embiid was issued a flagrant foul 1, while Claxton received a technical foul. The partisan crowd cheered when James Harden missed the technical free throw, while Claxton then knocked down his free throw for Brooklyn.

The issues between Embiid and Claxton go back to the regular season, when the two big men received double technicals in Philadelphia’s win over Brooklyn in what was Ben Simmons‘ only time playing in his former team’s home arena.

“He said something he shouldn’t have,” Embiid said of Claxton after that game. “That’s why when I walked up to his face, I told him to say it to my face again. That’s why he looked away and he didn’t say it again, because he knows why.”

Flagrant foul points add up over the course of the playoffs, with players accruing one point for a flagrant foul 1 and two points — plus an immediate ejection — for a flagrant foul 2. A total of four points results in a one-game suspension.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected from Game 2 of their series with the Sacramento Kings on Monday night for a flagrant foul 2 for stomping on Kings star Domantas Sabonis, and was later suspended by the NBA for Game 3.