Jay Williams Utterly Furious at NBA Over Controversial Calls in Sixers Game: ‘What Are We Actually Doing?!’

Ahmad Austin Jr.Apr 21st, 2023, 11:38 am
 

The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn played the most competitive game in their playoff series on Thursday.

Unfortunately, the game was also marred in controversy thanks to a handful of questionable calls that resulted in ejections on both sides.

According to ESPN’s Jay Williams, games like that are compromising the integrity of the sport.

“Yo, the inconsistency with referees is killing me and the game,” he said during Friday’s episode of Keyshawn, JWill, and Max. “Like, what are we actually doing?”

In the first quarter of Thursday’s game, Nets center Nic Claxton scored on Sixers center Joel Embiid as Embiid fouled him. With Embiid on the floor after the play, Claxton stood over and stepped over him. Embiid took exception to the move and kicked Claxton in the leg, causing him to fall to the ground. Claxton was given a technical foul, while Embiid was given a flagrant foul penalty 1.

Williams drew parallels between that incident and the one involving Draymond Green and Domantas Sabonis in the Warriors-Kings game from a few days prior.

“So, Draymond Green gets into a scuffle with Domantas Sabonis holding onto his leg,” he said. “So, Domantas Sabonis provokes Draymond Green. Now, (Green) stomps him, right? OK, great.

“Joel Embiid, last night, is on his back. Nic Claxton provokes him by stepping over him. He kicks him! Kicks him. Does not get ejected.”

At the end of the third quarter, Sixers guard James Harden looked to attack the basket as time expired, but he was called for an offensive foul for extending his arm into Nets forward Royce O’Neale. While it appeared inadvertent, Harden’s arm made contact with O’Neale’s groin and O’Neale was on the ground in pain for an extended period of time. Harden was given a flagrant foul penalty 2 and ejected, leaving him and the rest of the Sixers stunned.

“James Harden has made this move multiple times before!” Williams said. “If you’re watching James Harden play basketball, he sometimes gives that little nudge, which, if you see it from the real angle, he doesn’t maliciously try to hit the guy in the jewels. It’s his basketball move. He gets ejected for that?”

In the fourth quarter, Claxton made another difficult shot over Embiid. He then flexed in front of Embiid and the referees gave him a technical foul. Because it was his second technical foul, he was also ejected. Like the Sixers, the Nets were shocked he was tossed for simply showing emotion after a nice play.

“I hate when the referees make it about the referees,” Williams said. “Let it be about the players and the product on the court. And it’s playoff basketball. Let them have physicality.”

Watch above via ESPN2

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