The fight on the court quickly became a war of words off of it on Wednesday, as Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns took shots at each other on social media following their scrap at Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid fired first after the Sixers 117-95 victory, ripping Towns in a ridiculously layered post with multiple zingers for the Timberwolves big man that touched on everything from KAT’s beef with Jimmy Butler to his mom.
“Great team win!!! I was raised around lions and a cat pulled on me tonight lmao. [Jimmy Butler] I missed being part of the 3rd stringers… I got his mom giving middle fingers. That’s some SERIOUS REAL ESTATE.”
Great team win!!! I was raised around lions and a cat pulled on me tonight lmao.. Got his mama giving middle fingers left and right. That’s some SERIOUS REAL ESTATE #FightNight #IAintNoBitch
Embiid spoke in his press conference about the incident, not showing much remorse for what happened.
“That’s what I’m good at. I like to get in people’s minds, I like to kinda [pick up] that real estate,” Embiid said. “It’s the game, we’re just having fun, playing basketball, and then something like that is nothing, you just move on.”
But Towns couldn’t just stay quiet, as the rivalry went deep into the night. KAT fired off his own post at Embiid, highlighting his crying face following a Game 7 loss to the Raptors in last year’s playoffs and mocking what the Sixers star said.
But guess what — there was more to come. Embiid saw the post and responded, effectively dunking on Towns for his lack of playoff pedigree.
“Imagine talking after a 20 pts loss,” Embiid wrote. “Go ahead using that pic of me caring about losing in the second round OF THE PLAYOFFS. Oh wait, you’ve never been there. You don’t know what it’s like…You’ve been a p—- your [sic] whole life. That’s why you were treated like a [expletive] by you know who. I ain’t gonna put your business out by [sic] I got the facts about you. Don’t get it twisted I OWN YOU.”
That tough guy act ain’t cutting it …. you know what you are.. you know what you’ve always been>>> A PUSSY (SAY IT LOUDER FOR PEOPLE IN THE BACK) Been kicking your ass and pretty please make the playoffs before you talk. It’s a known thing that I OWN YOU. @KarlTowns
This is a rivalry between two of the brightest young big men in the game and it appears it isn’t going away anytime soon.
Joel Embiid Jokes About Trash Talk Ban
GettyJoel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after getting ejected for fighting Karl-Anthony Towns.
Embiid noted that there wasn’t much trash talk leading up to the scrap and the fight almost came out of nowhere. However, the duo have some history.
After a win against Minnesota in 2017, Embiid roasted KAT on social media, posting a photo saying, “Eurostepping our way through Minnesota and we ended up raising the cat last night.”
Towns commented on the post, writing “that caption was as trash as your picture quality.”
Embiid respond quickly, writing: “Better quality than your defense.”
Embiid had said he plans to cool the trash talk this year, but joked about that statement on Twitter.
I’m done talking trash🏆🏆🏆👀
Suspensions Likely Inbound for Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns
Luckily, no one was hurt in the fight, which involved mostly wrestling and the bodies of coaches sprawling around the floor as they looked to slow down the massive men. Embiid didn’t seem to throw a punch, and Towns tossed one that missed.
“My immediate reaction is to get right in the mix, and try as best you can, 100 and whatever pounds lighter, and breaking it up,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said.
God bless Brett Brown
But despite that, it’s unlikely that both escape with no punishment, especially after the massive amount of extracurriculars.
Considering hasn’t been a fight of that magnitude in the NBA for quite a while. The last would likely be the fight between Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram and the start of the 2018 season.
Ingram got four games, Rondo three and Paul two for their roles.
The Sixers won’t see the Minnesota again until March 24, but it’s sure to be much-watch television.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Responds to Joel Embiid, Gets Roasted