The Philadelphia 76ers overcame a chaotic first half to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 111-106 on Monday night, despite losing Joel Embiid to an ejection after two quick technical fouls for disputing a charge call.
The bizarre sequence also saw teammate Andre Drummond initially ejected, only to have his ejection later rescinded.
The incident involving Embiid unfolded with 2:59 remaining in the first half. Driving to the basket in transition, Embiid collided with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, knocking the 20-year-old rookie to the floor.
Embiid was called for a charging foul, prompting an immediate and heated protest from the 76ers center. Referee Jenna Schroeder assessed a technical foul as Embiid made his way toward the Philadelphia bench.
Moments later, Embiid turned back toward the officials in a fit of frustration and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, coach Nick Nurse, and other staff members. Schroeder then issued a second technical foul, resulting in Embiid’s ejection—just the second of his career.
Following the game, crew chief Curtis Blair told a pool reporter that there was “incidental contact” between Embiid and Schroeder during the exchange but noted it did not warrant further action. Blair clarified that Embiid’s ejection stemmed from two unsportsmanlike technical fouls.
“I never got an explanation,” Nurse said. “I was trying to ask the officials, but I didn’t get a chance to speak to the one who called it. I just assume it was for arguing.”
Embiid, who was playing his second game since returning from a sinus fracture, finished with nine points and three rebounds in 14 minutes, shooting 2-for-8 from the field. He entered the game averaging 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
Adding to the mayhem, Schroeder ejected Drummond earlier in the second quarter after back-to-back incidents with Wembanyama under the basket. Drummond was assessed a second technical foul after appearing to push Wembanyama to the floor twice in quick succession.
However, upon video review, the officials reversed Drummond’s ejection, determining that he had inadvertently stepped on Wembanyama’s foot. Wembanyama was instead given a technical foul for flopping, though even that call was later rescinded, and the game was reset.
“The whole sequence was really strange,” Nurse remarked. Drummond, who had already left for the locker room, was seen putting his jersey back on and re-entering the court after the officials overturned his ejection.
Wembanyama later explained, “He just stepped on my foot, and I fell. I didn’t expect a foul to be called.”
Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson, filling in for Gregg Popovich as he recovers from a stroke, shared a similar view. “I don’t think it was a foul, and I don’t think it was a flop,” he said. “That’s how I saw it.”
The tumultuous first half set the stage for an intense second half, during which Philadelphia fans booed Wembanyama every time he touched the ball.
The rookie finished with an impressive stat line—26 points, nine rebounds, and eight blocks—but it was Tyrese Maxey who led the 76ers to victory. Maxey scored 32 points and delivered two critical plays in the final minute to secure the win.
Embiid, who was playing in just his eighth game of the season, returned to the court after the final buzzer, smiling and celebrating with his teammates.
However, he did not address the media following the game. According to a team official, Embiid left the arena while reporters were in the locker room for postgame interviews.
