The NBA hit Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid with a technical foul on Monday after he was seen waving a towel near his bench in the final moments of their win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Embiid did not play in the 76ers’ 118-114 overtime win over the Pacers on Sunday because of a knee injury. As 76ers guard Andrew Nembhard shot free throws with less than 20 seconds left in the game, Embiid waved a towel around in celebration near the baseline.
A lot of people called Embiid out for it in the moment, including Tyrese Haliburton — who started pleading with an official by pointing at Embiid. No foul was called, however, and the 76ers held on to capture the four-point victory.
Because this is a clear violation of league rules, the NBA assessed a technical foul on Embiid on Monday.
Embiid has yet to play for the 76ers this season with what they are calling a left knee management. He appeared in just 39 games last season due to knee injuries, but he returned for the playoffs and joined Team USA in their gold medal run at the Paris Olympics earlier this year. He said he also lost more than 25 pounds to stay healthy this season.
It is unclear when Embiid will make his season debut. The league has reportedly opened an investigation into the 76ers sitting Embiid to start the season as well. It is unknown whether the 76ers violated the NBA’s load management rules, which were first implemented in 2023, although the team said Embiid has not re-injured himself and that he is “making progress” but “not quite ready yet.”
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers against the Pacers in the absence of Embiid. He dropped 45 points and shot 14-of-32 from the field in that win, which was their first of the season. Caleb Martin finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Eric Gordon added 15 points off the bench. Paul George, who landed in Philadelphia this past offseason, is recovering from a bone bruise and has yet to play this fall either.
The 76ers, who hold a 1-2 record, will host the Detroit Pistons next Wednesday night.
