PHILADELPHIA — Oh, it’s undoubtedly a rivalry.
Joel Embiid and Nic Claxton had been assessed double technical fouls jawing with each other after Claxton rejected Embiid on the rim.
Montrezl Harrell scored on Kyrie Irving on the low block and was assessed a technical foul after sending selection phrases his manner.
“F—k Ben Simmons” chants rained down from the Wells Fargo Center crowd in his first sport towards Embiid for the reason that blockbuster James Harden commerce.
All the whereas, Kevin Durant did his finest media impression, live-tweeting reactions to Nets performs whereas nursing an MCL sprain again in Brooklyn.
At Tuesday’s Nets apply, Durant mentioned there’s no rivalry between the Nets and Sixers, that rivalries aren’t a factor within the NBA as a result of groups don’t repeatedly see one another within the playoffs.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn additionally downplayed the concept of a rivalry between these two groups, saying the juice for the sport extra so comes from the Sixers being two video games forward of the Nets within the standings.
Wednesday’s matchup between two championship hopefuls, nonetheless, proves the alternative. There’s an excessive amount of current historical past between Philly and Brooklyn for this to be simply one other sport.
“Well it is rivalry week, right? So whenever we have divisional games like that, I know it’s gonna be tough. And, you know, there is a bit of an edge,” Irving mentioned postgame after tallying 30 factors and 10 assists in Brooklyn’s 137-133 loss. “We’ve bought guys which were traded to our crew, guys that really feel like they kinda had been put on the market within the ethos of free company.
“So we definitely have a chip on our shoulder and every time we go against Philly, there’s something there. It’s not anything outside of competition. It’s just when we get on the court, we definitely want to beat each other, and I love those type of environments, and when you come to Philly, we know what it’s gonna be: a lot of chirping, very physical, the refs could be going either which way and we’ve just got to adjust. So I’m grateful that we got this lesson tonight. It didn’t result in a W but a loss we can definitely learn from and get ready for tomorrow.”
TRASH TALK
Claxton steered Embiid took exception to the no-call on his huge block on the rim.
“Let me see. I blocked his shot. I think he was upset there was no foul call. I said something to him. He told me to repeat it, I repeated it and he walked up on me,” he mentioned. “I don’t understand how I bought a tech once I say one factor and I’m simply sitting there standing. He walks up on me, I get a tech, however I take it so it’s a double tech.
“It’s just competition. Just having some fun. So that’s how it really is.”
FAMILY MATTERS
Seth Curry was one of many gamers who accompanied Ben Simmons in final season’s deal between Philly and Brooklyn. He scored a season-high 32 factors towards his former crew on Wednesday.
“Making plays, trying to be aggressive, getting the ball in my hands a bit, trying to play some pick-and-roll, moving off the ball,” he mentioned. “Teammates set me up a couple of times but just going out there trying to find good shots and do what I do.”
Curry admitted there was further sauce added enjoying towards his outdated crew.
“It’s just a good environment in here,” he mentioned. “Good fans, obviously a really good team, so just a little bit more emotion when you’re playing in an arena like this with good energy, good fans, I mean it was a big time game tonight.”
Curry simply completed a novel stretch of video games towards members of the family. He performed towards his brother Stephen in Brooklyn’s victory towards the Golden State Warriors. He performed towards his father-in-law, Doc Rivers, in Wednesday’s matchup towards the 76ers. He additionally performed towards his brother-in-law, Damion Lee, who’s married to his sister Sydel, in Brooklyn’s loss to the Phoenix Suns.
“It’s been a pretty good stretch like you said. For the most part Steph and Damion have been on the same team, and I’ve been on a team with Doc,” he mentioned. “[I] solely play them twice a yr so it’s a very good little stretch and it feels good to get two wins.
“Or we got one.”
KYRIE TALKS ABOUT WNBA TAKING FLIGHT
Irving says he’s “optimistic” WNBA gamers will be capable of fly constitution for the 2023 season.
Irving, who’s a Vice President of the National Basketball Player’s Association, mentioned the time is now for the NBA to create a extra sustainable atmosphere for WNBA athletes to compete at a excessive degree.
Under present guidelines, WNBA gamers will not be allowed to fly constitution and franchises are penalized in the event that they don’t comply.
“We’ve discussed a range of these things, and I wish it was as easy as getting it tomorrow, but business takes a little bit of patience,” Irving mentioned following Brooklyn’s loss to the 76ers on Wednesday. “Our W ladies have been patient long enough, so we’ve definitely gotta get something done, and I’m with them no matter how much it costs. I think we could all collectively come together and make something very doable happen, and we just want to have our ladies have peace of mind while they’re playing.”
Irving additionally steered there could also be one thing within the works to extend WNBA salaries. In 2022, the league’s common participant wage was $102,751. As a outcome, many WNBA athletes play basketball abroad in the course of the offseason.
“They don’t need to be overseas all the time. They need to be here playing in front of their families every single day doing what we do,” he mentioned. “So I think it’s a lesson learned right now of how we can attack this as a family because the W and the NBA, we’re a family. And I think things will be figured out before the season gets started. I’m very optimistic about that.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com