Getty Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns fight on Wednesday.
It was a heavyweight fight in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Sixers big man Joel Embiid and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns got into a fight, dragging each other to the court in the first big fracas of the NBA season.
The two got tangled up away from the play and then the shoving ensued. It ended up with coaches and players scattered all over the floor and Towns in a Ben Simmons headlock.
THINGS ARE ESCALATING IN PHILLY WITH KAT AND EMBIID GOING AT IT.
Both players were ejected. Simmons stayed in the game, but there’s no doubt the league will look at the extra-circulars.
Embiid appeared to relish the scrap, shimmying and shadow boxing following the fight. He even got an “MVP” chant on his way down the tunnel.
JoJo on his way out. This #Sixers crowd couldn’t love this any more.
Tows had 13 points and 6 rebounds at the time of the ejection, while Embiid had tacked up 19 points and 5 rebounds. The Sixers dominated most of the night and coasted to the 117-95 victory to move to 4-0.
Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns Have a History
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesSixers star Joel Embiid .
Towns and Embiid have a 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 vowed to talk less trash this season, but his plan is off to a rough start.
“I’m not talking trash ever again. Allegedly. Maybe,” Embiid told ESPN’s Zach Lowe. “I’m done with all that. That’s what I’m saying now, but we’re going to see if I can hold up to it.”
“The best way to talk trash is to dominate. When you dominate them and you talk some more and go on social media after the game and talk some more, that’s really hurtful. Sometimes I feel bad for them. That’s why I had to stop.”
Karl-Anthony Towns Downplayed Matchup With Joel Embiid
With both teams off to a 3-0 start, the matchup between two of the league’s premier big men was a massive draw. However, Towns — who was averaging 32 points and 13 rebounds entering the game — played down the matchup with his rival.
“It’s a game about trying to find a [way] to win,” Towns told the Star Tribune. “I know everyone wants to hype it up; that’s what sells papers. But I ain’t in the business of making y’all money. I’m in the business of getting Ws, that’s what I am.”
Philadelphia won the last five in a row against Minnesota, sweeping the pair of games in the last two seasons. But with the
“These guys have been through some tough times over a number of years,” T-Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said. “And they’ve come together. And look at who was brought in here. You have toughness, whether it be Noah [Vonleh], Bazz [Shabazz Napier], Jake [Layman], TG [Treveon Graham], Jordan Bell, you have a number of guys who are tough.
‘‘KAT said it before. I’ll say it again. When guys enjoy being around each other, you can’t help but want to fight for the guy next to you.”
He didn’t know how literal that statement would become.
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