Joel Embiid Praises Nick Nurse but Says Raptors Coach Needs to Stop 'B****ing' About Calls

The Toronto Raptors need to defend without fouling because complaining about calls isn't working as Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid continues to thrive

Aaron Rose | Apr 19, 2022

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that the personal foul disparity through the first two games has been a problem for the Toronto Raptors. The 14 foul difference between the two teams is alarming, but the referees are not to blame for the hole Toronto finds itself in down 0-2 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Were all 24 of the fouls called against the Raptors in Game 2 truly fouls? Probably not. Did Joel Embiid deserve to go to the line 12 times in the first quarter? Again, maybe not. But when you play with the kind of physicality that both Embiid and the Raptors pride themselves on, that's what's going to happen.

The Raptors made it very clear following Game 1 that they needed to be more physical. They were outhustled on the offensive glass, unable to force turnovers, and got beat to their spots repeatedly by Embiid. Coming into Game 2, they wanted to set a different tone.

“Going into the game, I knew what their strategy was, especially listening to everything that was said," said Joel Embiid who was roughed up a little bit in the first quarter. "From the get-go, I didn’t really want them to set that tone. I wanted myself and us to set that tone."

Embiid intentionally picked up an early technical in a brief pushing match with OG Anunoby to make it clear to the referees where the game was heading.

It was a brilliant decision.

"Referees in the league, they're the same way. They're gonna come in the next game and they are gonna let stuff go. So, you know, they're not going to call some fouls. So, in that case, you got to be more aggressive," Embiid said following his 31-point outing. "You got to go to the rim with more power. You got to jump over people. You got to try to finish through contact because that's an adjustment."

Embiid paraded to the free-throw line 14 times Monday night, forcing Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Thad Young into early foul trouble and making Toronto adjust.

It was frustrating for Toronto and late in the fourth quarter Embiid and Raptors coach Nick Nurse had some words with one another.

"He's a great coach. Obviously, what he's been able to accomplish and (I've) always been a big fan. But, I told him, respectfully, I told him to stop bitching about calls," Embiid said. "I saw what he said last game. I mean, if you're going to triple-team somebody all game, they are bound to get to the free-throw line."

This is who the 76ers are. They averaged the second-most free-throw attempts on a per-possession basis in the league and when Embiid is on the court, especially against an undersized team like the Raptors, he's going to get to the line.

The complaining in Game 1 didn't work. Embiid heard it and used it to his advantage. Now it's time to adjust accordingly.

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