The Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, picking up a 112-106 win in a matchup featuring two of the Eastern Conference's top teams. Jaylen Brown led the way with 30 points and seven rebounds, while Joel Embiid finished with a double-double of 26 points and 15 rebounds. In a surprising stat, Embiid also finished that game with no personal fouls, but received a technical foul for shoving the Pistons' Tolu Smith under the basket.
However, the league reviews games for additional penalties or discipline. On Thursday, ESPN's Khris Rim reported that the NBA also assessed Embiid a flagrant foul penalty 1 for his on-court actions in the win over the Pistons. The big man had the ball at the 3-point line with the Pistons' Cade Cunningham rushing up to defend him.
Embiid jumped as if he might shoot, but instead passed the ball over to LeBron James. As Embiid jumped on his pass to James, he extended his leg, kicking Cunningham in the groin. The Pistons star clutched at his groin and hunched over, visibly in pain after the kick.
Embiid then received a pass and passed Cunningham to make a basket. More news: Draymond Green Fires Back at Dillon Brooks Over Suns-Warriors Altercation That was Embiid's first flagrant 1 foul of the season, and NBA players receive an automatic one-game suspension if they receive six such fouls. Last week, the Phoenix Suns' Dillon Brooks was ejected from his team's game against the Denver Nuggets for kicking Jamal Murray in the groin while attempting a jump shot.
Aside from his technical and flagrant 1 fouls, Embiid's game against the Pistons featured a historic performance. According to ESPN Insights, it was Embiid's 61st game with 25-plus points and 15-plus rebounds, which is the second-most such games by a 76ers player over the past 40 seasons. Embiid trails only NBA legend Charles Barkley there, as Barkley achieved 67 games with 25-plus points and 15-plus rebounds.
So far this season, Embiid is averaging 19.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, with a 41.3% field goal percentage. The 76ers are off to an 8-1 start, making them the top team in the Eastern Conference so far. Their only loss was to the Pistons back in October.
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