Joel Embiid reacts to altercation with Marcus Smart / News - Basketnews.com

Joel Embiid reacted to the scuffle between him, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown, saying that emotions of the first game of the season took over.

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid downplayed the altercation with Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown, claiming that he was confused by it.

Player of the Game EFF 40 Jayson Tatum Points 35 Accuracy 13-20 Rebounds 12 Assists 4

Embiid and Smart went up for a rebound, and they were then tangled up. Smart then appeared to trip Embiid, and the 76ers center then got into it with both Smart and Jaylen Brown.

"Honestly, I don't know," Embiid said after the game. "They had called a foul, and I walked away. Next thing I know, my foot is getting caught up, and I slipped. Next thing, Jaylen was on top of me, and I don't know. Basketball. Emotions, the first game of the season, rivalry, Boston-Philly, a lot of intensity. It's all good."

However, Smart had a bit different version.

"Went for a rebound. Basketball play," Smart said. "Went for the steal. Basketball play. Referee blows his whistle, calls a foul. I stop playing, my arm's still stuck in there, and he tries to break it. And then I'm the only one who gets a tech. Everybody saw it."

Even though Smart was whistled for a technical foul in the exchange, he was happy not to escalate the issue as he had in past seasons.

"Like I said, it's maturity," Smart said. "I could have cracked his head open, but I didn't. And that's the maturity we have. So we move on from it. It is what it is. And we control what we can control."

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