The Philadelphia 76ers wanted to set the tone early in Game 2. They weren’t going to passively lay down when a shoving match broke out early in the first quarter, or go complaining to the refs when things started getting physical. No, the Sixers wanted to be the aggressors in what turned out to be a heavyweight fight.
Joel Embiid took matters into his own hands when OG Anunoby hit him in the rib cage to start the game. The Sixers’ big man slapped Anunoby back and a shoving match broke out in the paint with multiple players getting involved, including Pascal Siakam, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Fred Van Vleet, Gary Trent Jr. Double technicals were issued to Embiid and Anunoby. And the incident helped fuel a dominating 19-point first quarter for the MVP candidate.
“Going into the game, I knew what their strategy was. Especially listening to everything that was said,” Embiid told reporters after Game 2. “So, from the get-go I didn’t really want them to set that tone. I wanted myself and us to set that tone. That’s why I picked up that first, early technical foul. Because I felt like there was a missed call on the other end.”
Embiid continued: “And on defense, I just wanted to make sure that the refs let us know how physical they wanted the game to be. So, that’s why I went ahead, and we started pushing each other and we both got techs. But I knew that was their game plan. I knew that was going to be the adjustment, but I wanted to make sure I was the first one to bring the physicality.”
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Doc Rivers Throws Subtle Shade at Raptors
Embiid’s aggressiveness catapulted the Sixers to a 112-97 win on Monday night. Philadelphia holds a commanding 2-0 series lead as the scene shifts up to Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday (April 20) at 8 p.m.
Doc Rivers had a feeling things were going to escalate and get more physical as the playoffs wore on. He was ready for it in Game 2. In fact, the savvy head coach used his post-game media availability to compliment the refs.
“I think that the first game, it was more like featherweight. Today was more like heavyweight. It was hitting each other,” Rivers said. “But, it’s the playoffs. And you should expect it. You’ve got to play through it because of the physicality. It’s tough to officiate every call. So, there are going to be somewhere you get hit and are just going to have to play through it.”
Rivers also took the opportunity to throw some subtle shade at the Raptors. While Nick Nurse turned himself into a meme — and the butt of Embiid’s jokes — due to all his whining about foul calls, the Sixers simply shut up and played basketball. They led by as many as 29 points during one frenzied stretch.
“There were times where I thought a couple of guys got fouled. Instead of complaining, they got back on defense and kept playing,” Rivers said. “That’s going to be throughout the playoffs, and we have to keep doing that.”
No Matisse Thybulle for Game 3 and Game 4
Matisse Thybulle isn’t fully vaccinated so he’ll be out for the next two games in Toronto. Canada’s strict COVID-19 rules restrict people without two doses from entering the country’s borders; Thybulle received only one shot and has no plans to get a second one. Danny Green made the start in Game 1 and Game 2 and that trend should continue for Game 3 and Game 4.
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