Lakers: Joel Embiid Insists He Didn’t Foul Russell Westbrook In Last Possession

The Sixers All-Star came under fire for a possible covert foul.

Philadelphia 76ers All-NBA center Joel Embiid, a fringe MVP candidate this season, has refuted Los Angeles Lakers sixth man Russell Westbrook's claims of a last-second foul during a heartbreaking 113-112 Sixers victory Sunday night.

After Embiid missed a one-legged fadeaway jumper attempt that would have put Philly up by two possessions with 15 seconds remaining in regulation, Westbrook grabbed the long rebound, and brought the ball up to the other side of the floor. Embiid got caught guarding Brodie on a switch and stayed with him. 

Westbrook at one point lost control of the ball before regaining it with about six seconds remaining. He drove inside towards the rack as Sixers power forward Georges Niang slid over to help defend Westbrook. Embiid did grab Westbrook's wrist during this window, but it may have been somewhat inadvertent contact, and regardless the real problem was not either passing out with the double team encroaching, or bailing on the sequence and burning a timeout to draw up a more practical play.

Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Embiid denied fouling the 6'3" UCLA product. 

"I don't think I fouled him," Embiid said. "He was unlucky because he lost the ball. I would say he was unlucky."

Judge for yourselves, here's the closing sequence:

CHAOTIC ENDING IN LA 😳

SIXERS WIN pic.twitter.com/BPjYzFLyOm

— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023