"I probably would have smacked him" - Charles Oakley gets real on Joel Embiid's controversial play on Knicks center
Joel Embiid was involved in a controversial and dangerous play that might have caused an injury to New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.
The play happened in the first quarter after OG Anunoby knocked Joel Embiid to the ground. No foul was called, so Embiid pulled down Mitchell Robinson, who received the pass from Anunoby, in frustration. He was called for a flagrant foul penalty one, which might have been a penalty two in the regular season.
Robinson played through the injury in the first half but was absent in the second half. He was in a walking boot after the game, but it's unclear if he will play the pivotal Game 4 on Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
In an interview with Barbara Barker of Newsday, Charles Oakley discussed Embiid's grab and how he would have responded had it happened to him. He also has some sound advice for the Knicks as they look to take a 3-1 series lead in Game 4:
"I probably would have smacked him. You can't let him send that kind of message. If he had done something like that (when Oakley played), he wouldn't have gotten away with it. David Robinson, when he played, he knew what he could get away with. They (bullies) pick a fight they think they are going to win."
Several Knicks players call out Joel Embiid for 'dirty play'
Charles Oakley was not the only one who thought Joel Embiid was wrong when he tugged on Mitchell Robinson's legs during a play. Several New York Knicks players expressed their frustration with the incident after the game, where Embiid dropped 50 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 125-114 win.
Donte DiVincenzo called Embiid's actions "dirty," while Isaiah Hartenstein thought that it was not a basketball play. Josh Hart didn't hold back and called the reigning MVP reckless for what he did.
"Mitch is what, 280? You grab the guy by the leg when he's jumping and you don't allow him to come down, that's something that just a sprained ankle would be a fortunate injury. That one was reckless. But luckily he wasn’t seriously injured and out for a long time," Hart said. [H/T Yahoo! Sports]
Even former Knicks and current Toronto Raptors player Immanuel Quickley has questioned the play. Quickley tweeted to ask if the call would remain a penalty one for a different player, someone who is not a superstar or the reigning MVP.