Embiid Ejected in Wild Game as Sixers Rally for Win Against Spurs

Things got spicy in Philly during Monday’s Sixers-Spurs game when Joel Embiid got ejected late in the second quarter. Ref Jenna Schroeder hit Embiid with back-to-back technical fouls after he reacted way too strongly to being called for his third personal foul. Victor Wembanyama had hit the deck after an Embiid drive, and the seven-time All-Star did not take kindly to it, chasing Schroeder down the court before his teammates and coaches had to step in.

Postgame, crew chief Curtis Blair cleared the air, explaining Embiid was tossed for “unsportsmanlike technical fouls,” which is an automatic boot by NBA rules. Blair did note that Embiid’s contact with Schroeder was “incidental” and didn’t call for anything more serious. Meanwhile, Andre Drummond had his own drama earlier when he was initially ejected on another Wembanyama tumble. But after review, refs overturned his second technical, deciding it wasn’t a hostile act—just a case of Wemby tripping over Drummond’s foot.

Oh, and speaking of Wemby, the refs also hit him with a flopping violation during that Drummond play. But in a weird twist, they decided to reverse it. Flop or not, the officiating was all over the place, leaving fans scratching their heads and the Sixers scrambling for options after Drummond and KJ Martin were sidelined with injuries in the second half.

Enter Guerschon Yabusele, who stepped up big time at center to start the third quarter. Yabusele dropped 17 points and was pivotal in the Sixers’ gritty 111-106 win. With Embiid out, Drummond injured, and Martin dealing with soreness, the squad found a way to rally and secure the W, proving they’ve got depth even when things get chaotic.