ICYMI: Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid engage in a war of words during Brooklyn Nets blowout win over Philadelphia 76ers
Two of the Eastern Conference's biggest superstars, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, went head-to-head in Thursday night's marquee matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. Durant and Embiid showed their competitive spirit throughout the contest, embracing the challenge of guarding each other one-on-one.
The battle between the two seven-footers was accompanied by a heated exchange on several occasions. One such instance was during the first quarter of the game when Kevin Durant happened to foul Joel Embiid as the latter tried to score on the Nets forward in the paint.
Surprisingly enough, the referees didn't assess technical fouls on either player as fans in the arena, and those at home thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth between the two stars.
Kevin Durant has the last laugh as Brooklyn Nets blow out Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on the road
The Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers game on Thursday was arguably the most anticipated game of the 2021-22 NBA season so far. The two Eastern Conference heavyweights shook the trade deadline day by agreeing on a James Harden for Ben Simmons trade.
That was one of the major reasons behind this game being followed by the NBA fraternity. Ben Simmons made his first appearance in front of Philadelphia fans since the 2021 NBA playoffs and was welcomed with taunts and boos after he fell out with the Sixers' organization last offseason. He didn't play the game, though, as he is currently recovering from a back injury. Simmons watched the Nets win against his former team from the bench.
Kevin Durant, former Sixers' guard Seth Curry and Kyrie Irving torched the Philadelphia 76ers throughout the contest, with all three of them pouring in 20+ points on the night. Durant and Irving's former co-star, James Harden, on the other hand, delivered his worst game in a Sixers' jersey, tallying 11 points on three of 17 shooting.
Joel Embiid had an inefficient outing as well, as he shot only five of 17 from the field. He managed to score a team-high 27 points, though, making 19 trips to the foul line, missing only four shots from there.
Meanwhile, Durant produced a solid performance on both ends of the floor. He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks, shooting ten of 17 from the floor.
A playoff series between Kevin Durant's Nets and Joel Embiid's 76ers would be one of the most enticing contests to watch out for this season.