Joel Embiid is wasting no time reassuming his role as the wrestling villain.
The Philadelphia 76ers star heard vulgar chants from the Boston crowd in Tuesday’s season-opener against the Celtics. After Embiid got tangled up with Celtics guard Marcus Smart in a fight for a rebound during the third quarter, the TD Garden faithful erupted in a “F–k Embiid” chant.
Take a listen (but obviously beware of the foul language).
“F**k Embiid” chants begin in Boston. We’re so back!😂 pic.twitter.com/Q2pR1laVRh
— Prop Stars (@Prop_Stars) October 19, 2022
Smart said after the game that he thought Embiid tried to break his arm on the play and added that he could have “cracked [Embiid’s] head open” in response but did not out of maturity.
Marcus Smart on Embiid incident: “It's maturity. I could’ve cracked his head open but I didn’t. That’s the maturity we had.” pic.twitter.com/68NjPczafy
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 19, 2022
Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, who confronted Embiid after the takedown, agreed with Smart and said that Boston is “not taking no mess this year.”
Jaylen Brown on his tense exchange with Joel Embiid: "He was getting away with a lot of unnecessary pushing and shoving. It seemed like he was trying to hurt Smart in a sense…we're not taking no mess this year"
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) October 19, 2022
After leading by as many as 16 points, the Celtics went on to win the game 126-117. But the beef runs much deeper for Embiid and Smart, two fellow 2014 draftees who have gotten personal with each other in the recent past. Thus, it is safe to say that Embiid is not exactly a guest of honor in Boston these days.
